FG Expands Health Sector Compact to ALGON, Private Sector, Royal Fathers

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The federal government has expanded the Health Sector Renewal Compact to include the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), private sector actors, traditional rulers and faith-based institutions, in a move to deepen ownership and broaden participation in health sector reform. The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachallom, disclosed this in her welcome address at the 2026 Joint Annual Review (JAR) of the Health Sector in Abuja. She said the expansion has strengthened governance, coordination and mutual accountability under the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal and Investment Initiative, guided by the principles of the sector-wide approach. This year’s theme is “Together to Higher Ground: Make Reform Data Count.” Kachallom said the theme captures the collective aspiration to consolidate recent gains, address persistent challenges and accelerate transformation of the health system. “The theme speaks to a fundamental reality: meaningful and sustainable improvements in health outcomes can only be achieved through shared vision, collective responsibility, strong leadership, strategic partnership, and coordinated action across all levels of government,” she said. She described the JAR as one of the most important accountability and performance assessment mechanisms in the sector, providing a platform to review progress, assess performance against agreed targets, identify bottlenecks and determine strategic priorities. She said the ministry has sustained implementation of the Renewal Initiative and advanced commitments in the Compact, anchored on “one plan, one budget, one report, one conversation.” Kachallom listed key achievements during the review period, including institutionalisation of one conversation through joint annual reviews across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. She said implementation of resolutions arising from the National Council on Health improved substantially, rising from 16 per cent in 2025 to 75 per cent in 2026. “For the first time, all implementing entities aligned with the One Plan approach, actively participating in the annual operational planning process,” she said. She added that the successful production of the mini Demographic and Health Survey has provided valuable evidence to inform policy, planning and decision-making. However, she warned that significant challenges remain. “Key population health indicators, including under-five and neonatal mortality rates, remain behind our desired targets. The health workforce crisis continues to constrain service delivery across many parts of the country,” she said. She noted service gaps persist in prevention and management of non-communicable diseases, while prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV requires renewed attention and accelerated action. Similarly, she said capacity for timely public health emergency response remains inadequate, with data showing only 22 per cent of public health events achieved the seven-day early response target. “This underscores the need to strengthen preparedness, surveillance, coordination, and response mechanisms at all levels,” she said. Kachallom urged participants to focus on addressing implementation barriers, strengthening institutional capacities at national and subnational levels, improving efficiency in resource utilisation and enhancing accountability for results. “Above all, we must ensure that policies, commitments, and investments translate into tangible improvements at the point of care, where citizens experience the true value of our efforts,” she said.