TOYIN ADEBAYO, ABUJA
An Emergency Meeting of the National Council on Health (NCH) held via Zoom on Tuesday resolved that,the development of the Health Sector COVID-19 Pandemic Response Action Plan and the proposed establishment of Community Support Centres (CSCs), should be in the first instance, in high burden states (Lagos, Kano, and FCT) towards reducing community transmission of COVID-19.
The meeting which was chaired by the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire also noted the progress of work/support by all stakeholders and challenges encountered in the containment of the COVID-19 pandemic across the states of the federation.
In a communique issued at the end of the meeting and a copy made available to newsmen in Abuja stated that, Based on the technical presentations, states’ updates, and deliberations at the meeting, the Council approved the Health Sector COVID-19 Pandemic Response Action Plan Council also made the following resolutions: The Draft Guideline on Basic Health Care Provision Fund, which was earlier scheduled for presentation to Council, should be stepped down for presentation at a later time after further necessary consultations; COVID-19 Community Support Centres (CSCs) should not be established as parallel centres but as additional options to relieve the burden of service delivery on existing facilities; States are to own and lead the implementation of the COVID-19 Community Support Centres (CSCs) where desirable; and FMOH will share a Template on Needs Assessment and Daily Reporting Format on Case Management to facilitate decision making for federal government support to states.
The Communique was adopted upon a motion by the Commissioner for Health (Osun State) seconded by the Commissioner for Health (Yobe State). The meeting commenced at 10:20am. The National Council on Health, as provided for in the National Health Act (2014), is t
