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18 December 2018
Tuesday, December 18 2018: The Federal Ministry of Health Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) Division with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Health Strategy and Delivery Foundation launched the Nigerian Multisectoral Action Plan on Non-communicable diseases [NCDs] at a high-level ministerial meeting in Abuja. The Hon. Minister of Health Prof. Isaac F. Adewole FAS, FSPSP, DSc (Hons) convened this meeting to elicit support from key stakeholders.
The HMOH in his address informed participants on the growing burden of NCDs in the country and the dire effect it has on the population. He emphasized that the double burden of diseases (i.e. communicable/ non-communicable disease) could be halted if major preventable risk factors for NCDs, which cut across various sectors, are holistically addressed. He presented a comprehensive overview of the NCD MSAP, calling on all health and non-health Ministries, Departments and Agencies to collaborate deliberately and achieve the goals for the benefit of the country.
The CEO, HSDF, Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, commended the FMOH for this initiative, and encouraged them to take the lead in the MSAP, and guide other sectors to follow suit. He pointed out the developmental burden associated with NCDs, calling the attention of all present to address NCDs as a developmental burden, and not just a health sector burden. He also spoke about the epidemiological transition in Nigeria, stating that this meeting was an inflection point to reimagine our approach to health systems strengthening, focusing not only on disease risk factor reduction, but also early detection of diseases.
The WHO representative, Dr. Rex Mpanjaze, further reiterated the burden and importance of addressing NCDs and facilitated discussions and brainstorming sessions with health experts, representatives of MDAs, and academia sharing their views and agreeing on the joint implementation of the MSAP.
The draft Multisectoral Action Plan document and Policy briefs targeting various MDAs were developed by the FMoH with support from WHO and HSDF through a consultative process with stakeholders.
Stakeholders from the various MDAs represented and medical experts agreed that prevention of NCDs is the cost-effective option for Nigeria and committed to getting their Ministers to thoroughly review and implement the key strategies highlighted as requested by the HMOH.
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