Chioma Umeha
 |
| Dr. Jide Idris , Lagos State Commissioner for Health and others during the at the first General Assembly of the forum in 2019 in Lagos, recently. |
Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide
Idris has tasked the Lagos State health sector development partners under the umbrella
of the Lagos State Health Sector Development Partners’ Forum on continuous
improvement of the State health system.
According to a press statement signed by Adeola
Salako, Director, Public Affairs, Idris, Idris who spoke to stakeholders at the
first General Assembly of the forum in 2019 noted that the forum which was
inaugurated in year 2011 by the Ministry of Health was aimed at strengthening
and coordinating partnerships for health as well as creating a viable platform
that enables partners to harmonise all their activities and plans.
“The formation of the Health Sector Development
Partners’ Forum was seen as critical to facilitate a coordinating system that
would reduce transaction costs to development partners, donors and government
by streamlining systems for delivering aid and standardising procedures.”
“In
addition, it would significantly help in reducing duplication and overlap of
health activities being implemented by partners in the health sector while
fostering synergy among the stakeholders, with the attendant enhancement of
effective and efficient resource management,” the Commissioner said.
Idris explained that the General Assembly is one
of the structures of the Health Sector Development Partners’ Forum and it
provides the opportunity to share with a wider network of stakeholders, current
plans and programs of the Ministry.
He stressed that the forum was informed by the
realisation that significant challenges continue to confront the coordination
of suppprts in the health sector both in
terms of interventions by different units and programs of the state Ministry of
Health and its agencies on one hand and between the Ministry and other relevant
government agencies and partners or donors on the other hand.
Idris added that the assembly holds twice a year
and provides an avenue for discussion on key issues and is guided by a HSDPF
strategy document outlining its purpose and specific objectives stressing that
the coordinative framework also allows for a Steering/Executive Committee, General
Assembly, Implementing Partners and the Technical Working Groups Committees.
“No doubt, some successes have been recorded as
the integration of services is on the increase between program and service
delivery units within the health sector but there is still more to be done in
this regard”, the Commissioner said.
He pointed out that the strategic goal of the
meeting was to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of partners’
assistance in the state and also look at current issues and challenges in the
health sector with the aim of addressing it.
Idris urged partners to collaborate in the areas
of the recently launched Lagos State Health Scheme, Resilient and Sustainable
System for Health, Lagos State Biosecurity and Bio-containment project, Mental
health programme and Task Shifting and Task Sharing policy.
He acknowledged the collaborative efforts of
various partners including WHO, UNFPA, FHI, Save the Children amongst others in
the organizing the meeting as well as in procuring the services of consultants
to facilitate the forum.
