MINISTER APPLAUDS GOV SANI BELLO'S HOLISTIC HEALTH REFORM AGENDA .......Charges Health Commissioner Not To relent

By Fodio Ahmed

The Honorable Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole has commended Niger State Government strides towards provision of health care services in the state.Professor Isaac Adewole said "I want to publicly appreciate Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello for his tremendous commitment and political-will towards revamping the Health Sector, as well, congratulate him for having a vibrant, focused, professional and productive Commissioner like Dr. Mustapha Jibril.The Honourable Minister applauded the holistic reform agenda of the Executive Governor of Niger State,  Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello tagged NIGER HEALTH 1.0 while charging the State Commissioner of Health,  Dr. Mustapha Jibril to sustain his productive zeal, determination and professionalism.According to Governor Sani Bello, NIGER HEALTH 1.0 was formulated to help the leadership of the health sector at all levels to forge a common understanding of the action steps needed to purge the health system of all forms of inertia and ginger it to improve its performance.Professor Adewole made known his position at Valencia Hotel in Abuja during the maiden health communications conference with the theme "Persistent Poor Implementation of Budget" and sub-theme "NHAct Yet To Be Implemented Three Years After Passage" that was organised by Association of Nigeria Health Journalists, ANHEJ, with funding and technical support from Community Health and Research Initiative, CHR.

Niger State Commissioner of Health,Dr.Mustapha Jibril’s mission has remained to compliment Governor Sani Bello's search for practical and enduring solutions to the varied challenges facing the Niger State Health Sector and the State at large, while his vision is to ensure the best possible quality healthcare services for all people living in Niger State irrespective of social, political, cultural and economic leaning in-line with Governor Sani Bello’s Uncommon Strides of a working Niger State.The honorable Commissioner noted that, the role of Media in not only the Health Sector cannot be overemphasized, noting that, it is a tool for awareness, information and most importantly it serves as a bridge between the sector's services and its beneficiaries while charging the Journalists to adhere to the ethical codes of the noble profession and make sure TRUTH is never substituted for any reason and circumstance.Speaking earlier, the President of ANHEJ, Marcus Fatunmole stated that, in a developing nation like Nigeria where developmental journalism is making wave, journalists are not only out there to write and talk, their agenda-setting function also covers gatherings of such magnitude. Fatunmole spoke further disclosing that, the challenges bedeveiling Nigeria's Health Sector are compounded by self-aggrandizement by leaders ; mismanagement, incompetent leadership, poor, releases of funds, bickering among work force and sector's leadership among other numerous ills, he concluded.Niger Governor had sometime ago disclosed that his administration vision in the health sector was for every Nigerlite to have access to a minimum package of affordable and quality health services when and where needed and with greater efficiency and cost-effectiveness".