Daily Independent (Lagos)
Festus Owete
21 November 2008
Abuja — Visiting United Kingdom International Development Minister, Ivan Lewis, announced in Abuja on Thursday a new £148 million initiative to support the Federal Government and select states in building healthcare systems.
Lewis said a wide-ranging healthcare plan could save the lives of millions of more Nigerians.
Stating that governments could identify where the money should be spent and the services people most need, the minister noted that the funding would provide technical support to the Nigerian health service.
He said the £148m will help ensure among others better services across the country - not just in the cities - such as rural clinics to support pregnant mothers and provide immunisations to children.
It will also support better government planning and management by ensuring that money was spent where health needs are greatest; more focus on preventative health support, not just treatment, to ensure people are better prepared to fight disease and illness; more training of staff and new incentive packages to retain doctors and nurses in the poorest areas; and faster and better managed flow of drugs across all states.
The initiative, known as PATHS2 - Partnerships for Transforming Health Systems 2 - will work to enhance government provided health care as well as services provided by NGOs and the private sector.
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