In furtherance of its quest to put Universal Health Coverage on the policy front burner in Nigeria, the Nigeria UHC Forum organised a PHC Strategic Stakeholder Engagement in collaboration with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency with support from Options Consultancy UK. The PHC Strategic Engagement was part of efforts geared towards effective engagements of government health institutions to ensure a shared understanding of their policy direction and foster stakeholders’ participation for impactful policy implementation and collaboration.

Cross-section of participants at the event

The stakeholder’s strategic engagement, which was held on Thursday, 15^th of August, 2024, with the theme ‘’Harnessing Multistakeholder Approaches to Strengthening PHC Delivery and Accountability’’ brought together diverse stakeholders in the health sector to scrutinize the strategic blueprint of the NPHCDA and collectively foster a sense of shared ownership to elevate the accountability standard to promote equitable access to PHC services, thereby accelerating progress in the country’s UHC quest. These stakeholders include government MDAs, donors/partners, CSOs, and private sectors, among others.

The Executive Director of the NPHCDA, Dr Muyi Aina set the stage for discussion with a lead presentation by highlighting the strategic pillars and priorities of the agency in the NPHCDA strategic blueprint. These priorities include (a) positioning the NPHCDA for effective and accountable implementation of the Sector Wide Approach (SWAp); (b) provision of efficient, equitable, quality and trusted PHC services; and (c) effective frontline health security through the PHC system. The Executive Director further highlighted the progress made so far by the NPHCDA to reform the country’s PHC system for optimal performance and the specific support needed from the Nigeria UHC Forum to effectively implement the strategic blueprint. This was followed by a presentation from Lucia Laboso, the Project Director of the Options-led Evidence for Action (E4A MamaYe), sharing key lessons from the State-Led Accountability Mechanisms (SLAMs) for raising the accountability bar for PHC delivery. The event was heralded with an overview of the Nigeria UHC Forum presented by Dr. Gafar Alawode on behalf of the Chair of the Forum, Chief Mrs Moji Makanjuola.

Stakeholders at the event shared insights and narrative-changing suggestions in a panel discussion session moderated by Dr. Gafar Alawode. The panel discussion was a pivotal moment, as it thoroughly examined the policy environment, including the NPHCDA strategic direction and its alignment with the SWAp. This alignment was crucial for a more coherent engagement and alignment of action, investment, and accountability around common priorities and objectives for PHC. The conversation also delved into the recent pronouncement of the LGA financial autonomy and its implication for the PHC policy ecosystem. The panel discussion further identified the importance of accelerating progress in domestic resource mobilization, with emphasis on the need to set up a standing committee on innovative financing for health. This committee would harness innovative financing options to transform the PHC system, among other key takeaways.

Group picture of panelists and other key speakers at the event

The Nigeria UHC Forum, as a key player in the PHC ecosystem, will leverage the rich network of stakeholders to further advance conversation on the key takeaways from the engagement. This effort is crucial in supporting the NPHCDA to implement its strategic blueprint effectively. The Forum’s role in promoting the delivery of efficient, equitable, and quality PHC services is instrumental in advancing the country’s UHC quest. As the NPHCDA prepares to launch a PHC service delivery digital dashboard that will boost transparency, stakeholders were encouraged to take advantage of it to raise the accountability bar for the PHC system, strengthening interventions and service delivery in the country.

‘’DGI Consult is a founding member organization and the secretariat of the Nigeria UHC Forum, a coalition of a wide array of stakeholders working towards raising the political prioritisation of universal health coverage in Nigeria’’