THUR, 15 SEPTEMBER 2016-National Council on Health (NCH), the highest decision-making body in the Nigerian health sector, made up of the Federal Government and the 36 states of the federation, has approved the new National Health Policy (NHP), following an emergency meeting in Abuja, Nigeria.
Details of the new policy were not made available in the communique issued to announce the development but the Council said it will share the guidelines with members of the National Assembly as part of the steps in ensuring the funds are released in the 2017 budget.
The Council said it debated extensively and approved the guidelines for the disbursement, administration and management of the basic health care provision and added that the new health policy would help strengthen existing rules governing the administration of the nation’s health system.
The Council said it wants the Federal Ministry of Health to also develop the second National Strategic Health Development including support for the development of sub-sectoral strategic health development plans to ensure timely finalisation and use as the compass for all investment in the health sector from 2017 onward.
