ALGON, WHO partner to improve rural healthcare

The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria has entered into a partnership with the World Health Organisation to ensure the well-being of all Nigerians, especially the rural dwellers across the 774 Local Governments in the country.

The President, ALGON, Aminu Mua’zu-Maifata made the disclosure while speaking with journalists in Lafia on Thursday.

According to him, the move made by ALGON was aimed at tackling the health challenges of many rural dwellers in the country who have over the years had little or no access to good health care.

Apart from the WHO, Mua’zu-Maifata mentioned other partners in the agenda including Civil Society Organisations, the Health Sector Reform Coalition, the Guild of Medical Doctors and the private sector.

He said, “The ALGON has convened a strategic meeting with the Development Partners Group for Health, Nigeria. This gathering marks a significant milestone in ALGON’s quest to redefine the landscape of primary healthcare delivery at the grassroots.

“The meeting aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 3, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all, especially at the grassroots level.

“The multi-stakeholder meeting brought together development partners for direct funding, members from the World Health Organisation, Civil Society Organisations, Health Sector Reform Coalition, the Private Sector, and the Guild of Medical Doctors to develop a roadmap and strategy for positioning primary healthcare services as a critical component of development, particularly in rural areas.

“ALGON’s commitment to effective and efficient health coverage of all communities in Nigeria aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ and the Health Sector Investment Programme. This initiative will strengthen the implementation of the World Health framework, supporting research and development, capacity building and prevention, as well as reduction of mortality.”

The ALGON’s National president emphasised the association’s commitment to harnessing collaboration and innovation to deliver in building capacities for local governments towards actualising its constitutional responsibilities, and focusing on primary healthcare and basic education.

He further affirmed that the association was poised to revitalise and operationalise its Primary Health Care programme, ensuring standardisation, excellence and sustainability in service delivery through continuous monitoring, and evaluation across all the 774 LGAs in the country.

“The meeting was chaired by me, the ALGON president. In attendance were the ALGON Deputy National president, Moses Nomeh, the World Health Organisation Country’s Representative (Nigeria), Dr. Walter Mulombo, among others,” Mua’zu-Maifata added.