By Dr. Nafisat Makinde
The Federal Government has restated its commitment to a people-centred health system as it opened the Technical Session of the 66th Regular Meeting of the National Council on Health in Calabar on Monday.
Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom, said the 2025 NCH theme, My Health, My Right: Accelerating Universal Health Coverage through Equity, Resilience and Innovation, reflects the government’s resolve to place citizens at the heart of policy decisions. “This theme underscores our determination to ensure that every Nigerian enjoys the right to quality healthcare,” she said.
She described the Technical Session as the engine room of the Council where evidence is examined and recommendations are shaped for adoption by the full Council. “This is where ideas are interrogated, evidence is weighed and decisions are refined to move our sector forward,” she added.
During her remarks on 17 November 2025, Kachollom outlined key reforms underway, including primary healthcare strengthening, supply chain optimisation, digital health expansion and the new Health Workforce Migration Policy. According to her, these initiatives aim to rebuild public trust and improve equity. “We are building a system that is inclusive, efficient and centred on the Nigerian citizen,” she said.
She also commended the Cross River State Government for hosting the meeting and praised commissioners for health, permanent secretaries, federal directors and development partners for maintaining strong collaboration across the sector.
In his welcome address, Cross River State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Henry Ayuk, said the hosting of the 66th NCH presents an opportunity to deepen progress toward Universal Health Coverage. “As we gather here today, we are provoked to make healthcare available to all Nigerians where the rich and the poor can get health benefits equally,” he said. He added that “the healthy can contribute to make the unhealthy become more healthy.”
The 66th NCH continues this week with technical reviews and the consideration of council memos aimed at advancing national health reforms into 2026 and beyond.
