President Bola Tinubu has approved the establishment of the Programme Management Unit under the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII).
The presidency highlights that this initiative is set to ensure efficient, transparent, and accountable management of external grants dedicated to the nation’s health sector.
In a press release from the Federal Ministry of Health, it was disclosed that the newly established sector-wide Coordinating Office-Programme Management Unit (SCO-PMU), housed within the office of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, will oversee this ambitious project.
The SCO-PMU, to be led by Dr Muntaqa Umar Sadiq, as the national coordinator, will report to a Steering Committee/Ministerial Oversight Committee led by the Minister of Health. This committee will include high-level officials from the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, and key development partners.
The ministry of health noted, “The establishment of the SCO-PMU is a critical step towards ensuring that the substantial external grants mobilised for the NHSRII are managed with the utmost transparency and accountability. This will facilitate better health outcomes for all Nigerians.
“The SCO-PMU will function as the secretariat and execution arm of the NHSRII, with responsibilities encompassing programme management, monitoring and evaluation, and the oversight of Independent Verification Agents (IVAs).
“Additionally, the unit will handle fiduciary management to ensure the integrity of financial operations. This structure aims to enhance the implementation efficiency of health initiatives across the country,” the ministry stated.
Dr Sadiq’s academic credentials are equally impressive, with ongoing doctoral studies in public health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, an M.Phil in Bioscience Enterprise from the University of Cambridge, and an MBBS from Imperial College London.
The NHSRII represents a bold and transformative approach to improving health outcomes in Nigeria.
