2024 PHC Leadership Challenge Award: FCT wins, gets $400,000 incentive

The FCT Primary Health Care (PHC) system has emerged one of the best in the federation at the just concluded 2nd edition of Primary Health Care Leadership Challenge Gala/ Awards ceremony.
In particular, FCT emerged the runner-up for “Best Performing and Most Improved State” with a cash incentive of $400,000, in recognition of its implemented innovations and outstanding performance in strengthening PHC system in the FCT, in line with Universal Health Coverage among other states in the the year 2024.
This year’s edition chaired by Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Sen. Kashim Shettima, who was represented by a former Minister of FCT, Alh. Aliyu Madibbo, held in Abuja recently.
The PHC Leadership Challenge was launched in the year 2022 by the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) as a commitment to strengthen and improve Primary Health Care system across the country and to appraise performance of states, the 1st award edition kicked-off in 2023.
This 2nd edition had esteemed dignitaries in attendance among whom includes the Chairman of the NGF and executive Governor of Kwara state Alh. AbdulRahaman AbdulRazaq, who was represented by the Governor of Anambra state Prof. Charles Soludo, and the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare Prof. Ali Pate was also present at the ceremony.
Reacting to the development, the Mandate Secretary FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat (HSES), Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe said the award underscores the strategic leadership of FCT Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike in investing in healthcare and the credible services carried out daily in Primary Health Care centres across the territory.
Fasawe noted that FCT Healthcare system promotes and utilizes the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) adequately that yields significant improvements in antenatal coverage, increased proportion of women who are using modern contraceptives methods, increase rate of women delivery with skilled birth attendants through various approaches targeted at creating awareness and educating vulnerable women on the importance of accessing quality healthcare system within their proximity.
She added that since the inception of President Bola Tinubu’s Administration, the FCT healthcare system has witnessed gross improvement under the leadership of the FCT Minister, who is unabated in delivering the “Renewed Hope Agenda” of Mr. President to the people of FCT.
Fasawe while appreciating the HSES management and staff team together with other relevant stakeholders like; Federal Ministry of Health and World Health Organization, specifically called for more action by putting in more work to ensure that the commitment to strengthen and improve PHC systems in Nigeria is actualized in full.
However, at the ceremony, the HSES was represented by the Ag. Executive Secretary FCT Primary Health Care Board Dr. Ruqqaya Wamako in the company of the Director FCT Health Insurance Scheme Dr. Salamatu Belgore, who both received the award on behalf of the Secretariat.
Also, to mark this year’s event, 14 awards were presented in total; 2 per geo-political zone with 1 national award and along with FCT other states that shined at the ceremony are Gombe state, which won “the Best Implemented Innovation”, and Anambra got the “Overall Best Performance” awards for the 2024 edition.