Nigeria receives international award for good governance in maternal healthcare

Nigeria's sustained efforts at reducing maternal and child mortality as well as improving healthcare has been rewarded by the International Social Security Association (ISSA).

ISSA and other African countries attending the ongoing Regional Social Security Forum for Africa in Arusha, Tanzania, applauded Nigeria for the way it is managing the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

Nigeria was also rewarded for its achievement in Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as well as maternal and child health care projects.

Mr Errol Stoove, the President of ISSA, said that the award was to encourage organisations involved in social security matters.

According to him, the award is also to let such organisations know when they are making progress.

Stoove described Nigeria's effort as resilient effort, saying that all the countries that received awards at the forum should be given the necessary support to enable them to do their jobs well.

``Nigeria made great effort in the coverage of giving people healthcare. The countries that received awards have made great efforts in their performance on coverage; on good practices, good governance. Good governance issue is also very important for us. " he stated.

Also speaking, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Gyang Dantong, said the award meant that Nigeria was moving in the right direction in terms of healthcare service delivery to the people.

``Today people from outside are telling us that what we are doing, we are getting right. It's a times that we need to encourage ourselves and make sure that we move forward. It's a right thing, it's a right approach.

"All we need to do is to support NHIS and see the way forward and see how we can help Nigerians to have health service affordable, accessible, and at the right time,'' Dantong said.

Responding, NHIS Executive Secretary Waziri Dogo-Muhammed, expressed happiness that Nigeria had been recognised for best practices by ISSA.

``I am very happy for my country. They found what we are doing for mothers and children under the MDGs initiative or what we are calling NHIS MDG project is a good practice worth emulating by other countries of the world.

``I am happy that at least something good has come out of Nigeria this time. You see by the time what we are doing has drawn the attention of the world, then we have a responsibility to maintain it in our country,'' Dogo said.

At least 42 countries contested for the awards in various segments of the social security programmes, out of which only 19 made it to the final stage.

Some of the other countries that also won awards in other sectors of the economy are Ghana, Kenya, Niger, Uganda, Egypt, Cameroun, Mauritius, Tanzania, Cote d'Ivoire and Swaziland.

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