November 03, (THEWILL) – The World Health Organisation (WHO) says more Nigerians are slipping into poverty due to health-related issues.
Kazadi Mulombo, the WHO representative in Nigeria, disclosed this on Thursday, at the induction ceremony for newly appointed state commissioners of health.
The event held in Abuja, was organised by the Nigeria Health Commissioners’ Forum (NHCF) with support from the secretariat of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and other health partners.
Emphasising the responsibilities of the Commissioners in achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and health security in Nigeria, Mulombo stressed the need for unconventional approaches in the Nigerian health sector.
“With the ongoing increase in the burden of non-communicable diseases alongside communicable diseases and high out-of-pocket health expenses, more Nigerians are falling into poverty due to ill health, and many lack access to essential health services.
“As leaders in the health sector, it is now more critical than ever to keep primary healthcare at the top of your governments’ agendas and ensure substantial investments in its development,” Mulombo stressed while assuring WHO’s commitment to collaborating with the Commissioners to turn health policies into effective actions.
