Strategic Health Dev: RSG Inaugurates HDMC

Ahead of achieving the federal government’s second National Strategic Health Development Plan II, (NSHDSII) project, the Rivers State Government has inaugurated its Health Data Governance Council (HDGC).
Inaugurating the council recently in Port Harcourt, the Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Health, Mrs Caroline Wali, said the council has seven terms of reference.
They are: The provision of leadership and general oversight for health data related matters in the state, and consider/approve changes to the indicators reference list and State Health Performance System (HIS).
Others are to consider and approve all health reports of the state, mobilize and coordinate allocation of resources for Health Information System in the state, and carry out advocacy to the state legislature for improved financing of HIS and incorporate findings from the HIS into decision- making in the state.
The terms of reference also include: undertaking advocacy to stakeholders (public and private) on the role of HDGS and how they can contribute to the state’s HIS as a functional unit.
They are further to consider any other business related to Data Management in the state.
It will be recalled that the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) had commenced the development of the second NSHDPA from 2017 – 2021 with the validation of frame work by all stakeholders on the 15th and 16th of May, 2017 in Abuja.
According to the Permanent Secretary, the validation frame work was then used by the federal government and states to develop their specific plans, which would be aggregated into “One national health plan” for implementation over a period of 5 years.
Mrs Wali further stated that the Rivers State Planning Team (SPT-RSHDP) “ was inaugurated on the 31st of July, 2018 at the Ministry of Health Conference Room after work started on the development of the state strategic health development plan II, and was validated by all stakeholders on the 11th of April, 2018”.
She added that “NSHDPII was presented at the 61st National Council on Health (NCH) on 21st June, 2018, and launched by the president of Nigeria, Mohammadu Buhari on the 8th of January, 2019”.

Sogbeba Dokubo