By Iyemah David
The Africa Health Budget Network, (AHBN) congratulated Dr Salma Anas-Ibrahim for her achievements in the field of healthcare and contributions to the nation’s health sector.
AHBN Coordinator, Dr Aminu Magashi Garba said this during a dinner in honour of Dr Salma, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Health, organised by the Southern Borno Stakeholders Forum, on Saturday in Abuja.
Dr Magashi praised her dedication and commitment to improving the health and well-being of Nigerians.
He also emphasised the need for a comprehensive health security agenda in the country.
The AHBN coordinator also highlighted the importance of preparedness and response to health emergencies, such as pandemics and outbreaks, and stressed the significance of investing in healthcare infrastructure, research, and training.
He called for increased collaboration between the government, healthcare professionals, and other stakeholders to ensure a robust health security system.
He emphasised the need to prioritize the development and implementation of policies and strategies that would strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system, enhance disease surveillance, and improve the overall health outcomes of its citizens.
The coordinator also expressed his commitment to supporting Dr. Anas and other healthcare professionals in their efforts to achieve a more secure and resilient health system in the country.
He called on the government to support and improve resources to address the challenges and gaps in the country’s health sector.
In an interview with newsmen during the dinner, DR Magashi stated that the office of the Special Adviser to the President is a new one and the first of its kind, “therefore the stakeholders need to help the office to succeed.
“It’s a paradigm shift in the country, the office is key to health sector reform and also we need to improve our basic healthcare provision fund.
“We need to improve our health care agenda, we need to help her advice the president for the office to function well,” he said.
Magashi said that there was a need for deeper coordination between the health adviser with office of the national security adviser, the biosafety agency, and the overall health sector to improve the health security agenda for the country.
He said that this administration should fully fund and support the implementation of the national health security action plan.
He, however, said that the CSOs and media should step up advocacy and accountability to ensure transparency in the health sector.