Lagos Hosts IMPACT Project Review Meeting to Strengthen Primary Healthcare System

Lagos Hosts IMPACT Project Review Meeting to Strengthen Primary Healthcare System

The Lagos State Government, in collaboration with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, has convened the IMPACT Project Review Meeting with national and state teams to assess implementation progress and strengthen Primary Health Care (PHC) systems across participating states in Nigeria.

The high-level meeting brought together representatives from the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, the World Bank, the National Malaria Elimination Programme, State Ministries of Health, State Primary Health Care Boards, project managers, and project accountants to review implementation activities, assess financial and contractual commitments, and develop strategies for sustainable PHC delivery nationwide.

Delivering the keynote address titled “Strengthening PHC: A Critical Determinant for Achieving UHC,” the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, stressed the need for sustained investment in primary healthcare infrastructure and modernization.

He highlighted Lagos State’s introduction of purpose-built PHC facilities equipped with improved ventilation systems, solar-powered infrastructure, infection prevention and control designs, as well as decentralized isolation capabilities aimed at enhancing healthcare delivery.

Prof. Abayomi also emphasized the importance of sustainable health financing through the domestication of the National Health Insurance Authority Act, mandatory health insurance initiatives, and stronger integration between public and private healthcare systems.

Speaking on malaria elimination efforts, Lagos State presented findings from a large-scale malaria diagnostic and surveillance study which revealed significantly lower malaria prevalence than previously estimated. The presentation underscored the importance of evidence-based diagnosis through the use of Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs).

In her goodwill message, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Kemi Ogunyemi, welcomed participants to Lagos and reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to health sector reforms and the attainment of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

According to her, the IMPACT Project has significantly contributed to PHC infrastructure upgrades, improved malaria diagnostics, service integration, accountability, and overall systems strengthening across Lagos State.

Speaking during a presentation titled “Joint Leadership Dialogue: The Lagos State Experience,” the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, Ibrahim Akinwunmi Mustafa, explained that Lagos adopted a deliberate political and governance engagement strategy involving Local Government Chairmen, the Ministry of Local Government, development partners, and technical experts to improve ownership and financing for PHC.

Dr. Mustafa noted that the engagement process had resulted in stronger political commitment to PHC financing, improved collaboration between state and local governments, and the signing of a draft compact aimed at strengthening PHC governance and sustainability.

Earlier in her welcome remarks, a representative of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Amina, commended Lagos State for successfully organizing the meeting at short notice and encouraged delegates to actively participate in the two-day engagement.

The Team Lead of the project, Onoriode, outlined the objectives of the meeting, including reviewing PHC upgrade projects across states, assessing outstanding obligations and timelines, strengthening accountability mechanisms, and promoting collaboration between state and local governments for improved healthcare delivery.

During the meeting, participating states presented updates on implementation progress, contractual obligations, outstanding payments, and project completion timelines under both the immunization and malaria components of the IMPACT Project.

At the end of the deliberations, states were directed to update implementation trackers, strengthen accountability and financial reporting mechanisms, improve collaboration with local governments, and intensify supportive supervision activities to ensure the sustainability of PHC interventions nationwide.

Participants also resolved that Lagos State’s engagement and financing model should be properly documented and adapted by other states in line with their respective governance structures and local realities.

The meeting reaffirmed the collective commitment of stakeholders towards strengthening primary healthcare systems and accelerating Nigeria’s progress toward Universal Health Coverage.