The Ondo State Ministry of Health and various stakeholders in the state’s health sector have validated Annual Operational Plan for 2023 in a bid to provide accessible, qualitative and sustainable healthcare delivery system that would meet the needs of the people of the state.
Speaking at the validation meeting at the Grand Capital Hotel, Alagbaka, Akure, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Ajaka, explained that the operational plan was developed sometimes in July 2022 by representatives of all the Departments in the Ministry of Health, parastatals and agencies within the sector including partners and relevant stakeholders.
Ajaka noted that the process of formulating the Year 2023 Annual Operational Plan (AOP) involved a one-week comprehensive and thorough harmonization meeting of representatives of all stakeholders in the state’s health sector as well as development partners.
He , therefore, affirmed that the validation of the contents of the AOP was worthwhile, timely and expedient.
Ajaka expressed delight at the all-inclusive nature of the validation meeting with a view to ensuring that the review and validation would touch every aspect of healthcare delivery in the state.
He said that the document was premised on the fact that adequate implementation would ensure efficient deployment of resources.
Ajaka charged implementing partners present to take advantage of the validated AOP document to further identify areas of technical and financial support.
Also speaking at the meeting, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Pharmacist (Mrs.) Folukemi Aladenola, said operational planning provides among other things a road map for achieving strategic results.
Aladenola added that once stakeholders could get the AOP implemented, the desired outcomes would be easily achieved .
She acknowledged the efforts of the Department of Planning, Research and Statistics of the Ministry at ensuring that the validation meeting was held in the quarter in keeping with the time frame of the sponsors, UNICEF.
The Permanent Secretary charged stakeholders to painstakingly go through the developed AOP document and ensure its validation and implementation, saying it was in doing this that stakeholders could justify their efforts at developing the plan as well as attain the desired goals.
Aladenola appreciated the unflinching support of the State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN as well as the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Banji Ajaka ,in raising the bar of healthcare delivery in Ondo State.
The representative, United Nations Fund for Children(UNICEF), Mrs Elohor Micheal-Eze lauded the giant stride of the ministry in moving the health sector forward, promising that UNICEF would continue to support Annual Operational Plan development processes for the benefit of the residents of the state.
The Director, Department of Planning Research and Statistics of the Ministry, Dr Uche Odionyenma, while giving the overview of the 2023 Annual Operational Plan Development, said priorities were identified during the AOP development process by assessing progress, using all obtainable interventions, considering the available resources.
In the meeting were representatives from the Ministry of Health, Hospitals Management Board, College of Health Technology, Contributory Health Commission, Ondo State Action Committee on AIDS, Ondo State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Damien Foundation, UNICEF, CHAI, WHO and others.
