Yobe Equips Health Managers with data skills for better Outcomes via NHSR II Workshop

By Yusuf A.Yusuf, Damaturu 

The Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSR II) has partnered with the Yobe State Ministry of Health and Human Services to organize a four-day capacity-building workshop for health leaders and managers in the state. 

The workshop, which began on Monday in Damaturu, aims to strengthen the health system and improve planning capacity.

The initiative is part of the Federal Government's efforts to comprehensively improve the country's health system.

Declaring the workshop opened,Yobe State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mohammed Lawan Gana,stated  previous health sector reforms have not yielded significant success, prompting the introduction of NHSR II.

Dr. Gana, represented by Permanent Secretary Isa Bukar, stated that NHSR II is the current reform spearheaded by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare under Professor Muhammad Ali Pate.

" The initiative aims to address national and sub-national health priorities and improve health outcomes",said the Commissioner.

He noted that, the most recent guiding document, the National Health Sector Strategic Development Plan (NHSSDP) One and Two, did not achieve significant success over a decade. 

"NHSR II was introduced under the current Federal Government administration as part of President Bola Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda.

"The health sector's sub-national priorities document remains the current operational policy under the NHSR II framework.Yobe State's health priorities for developing Annual Operational Plans (AOPs) from 2025 to 2027 were established within this framework",said the Dr.Gana

Technical Assistant to the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Ashiru Abubakar, represented Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate at the workshop. Dr. Abubakar stated that the workshop aims to enhance program and mid-level managers' skills in analytical thinking, health systems understanding, and data-driven decision-making.

"The training will be cascaded to broader networks of managers and emerging health leaders, with the goal of improving planning, data-driven decision-making, and implementation. Dr. Abubakar emphasized that collaborative efforts are essential to achieving better health outcomes across Nigeria.

Yobe State's Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) Coordinator, Dr. Babagana Abba, explained that the training focuses on NHSR II and the sector-wide approach to prepare leaders for addressing national and sub-national health priorities.

"The workshop aims to equip health leaders and managers with essential skills to develop and implement effective health programs, ultimately improving health outcomes in Yobe State and nationwide.

" With the training, participants are expected to make a positive impact on the state's health system and contribute to achieving better health outcomes for Nigerians",Dr Abba added.