The Federal Ministry of Well being and Social Welfare has signed a multi-year settlement with the Impartial Corrupt Practices and Different Associated Offences Fee (ICPC) to strengthen accountability within the federal authorities’s ongoing overhaul of main healthcare infrastructure.
The Coordinating Minister of Well being and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, introduced the partnership in a put up on X on Sunday.
Mr Pate defined that the settlement is geared toward making certain clear monitoring, monitoring, and auditing of all expenditures associated to the nationwide improve of well being services.
Clear infrastructure reforms
Mr Pate mentioned the federal authorities is at the moment enterprise an in depth rehabilitation and improve of main healthcare centres throughout all 774 native authorities areas.
The undertaking, he famous, is a part of broader health-sector reforms designed to enhance service supply and assure that public assets are utilised effectively.
As a part of the brand new collaboration, the ICPC will present real-time, stage-by-stage reporting on the progress of revitalisation initiatives overseen by the Nationwide Major Well being Care Growth Company (NPHCDA).
Mr Pate added that the fee’s unbiased verification will function a required step earlier than certifying any undertaking as absolutely accomplished.
“The ministry and its parastatals have entered right into a multi-year pact with the ICPC to watch, monitor, and audit all expenditures concerned within the nationwide overhaul of well being infrastructure throughout each native authorities space,” he mentioned.
To strengthen these reforms on the native stage, Mr Pate mentioned the ministry has additionally deployed a whole bunch of Efficiency and Monetary Administration Officers (PFMOs) throughout the nation.
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These officers, he mentioned, will present steady assessments of rehabilitation work and the operational efficiency of main well being centres.
He added that this effort aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s current commissioning of the Nationwide Well being Fellows, 774 younger professionals, one from every native authorities space, chosen by a rigorous course of and skilled to help the brand new anti-corruption and accountability framework being applied throughout the sector.
In accordance with Mr Pate, the mixed oversight roles of the ICPC, the PFMOs, and the Nationwide Well being Fellows sign a renewed nationwide dedication to transparency and integrity in well being financing.
“That is our time to reclaim the nation we love, to reject what has held us again, and to affirm a brand new social contract grounded in integrity, renewed belief, and renewed hope,” he mentioned.
