Dear UHC Leaders, Partners and Stakeholders in Nigeria;
We are pleased to report to you that civil society stakeholders in Nigeria have established the Nigeria Universal Health Coverage Actions Network (NUHCAN) in fulfillment of one of the decisions unanimously taken by participants during the Country Advocacy Meeting held on 30 July 2019 in preparation to the 2019 UN HLM on UHC.
The Nigeria Universal Health Coverage Action Network (NUHCAN) was founded as Nigeria Universal Health Coverage Advocacy Group (NUHCAG) on the 7th of June, 2019. On 30 July 2019, NUHCAG organized a successful Country Advocacy Meeting (CAM) for the UN High Level Meeting (HLM) on Universal Health Coverage (UHC) 2019, having received approval from the Civil Society Engagement Mechanism (CSEM), and with support from United Nations System in Nigeria and the International Red Cross Society.
The Network currently has about 50 registered organizations/members. Our goal is to translate the UHC concepts into action in Nigeria by:
- Synergizing with relevant stakeholders/partners for the achievement of the United Nations’ historic and unanimous endorsement of universal health coverage in 2012;
- Facilitating grassroots awareness, engagement and demand for UHC;
- Accelerating private, public and political participation and accountability for UHC; and
- Galvanizing an inclusive, cohesive and multi-sectoral advocacy community thus maximizing reach, coordination and impact of the movement towards health for all
ALREADY,
- A constitution has been adopted following robust discussions of a draft constitution produced by a committee set up by the members.
- A Board of Trustees (BOT), a Governing Council (GC) and an Executive Secretary (ES) have been elected in line with the approved constitution.
- A temporary secretariat office is in place as donated by one of the members pending the establishment of an exclusive office for NUHCAN.
- Registration formalities with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) have been concluded.
- About 50 CSOs/NGOs/CBOs and individuals have registered as members of NUHCAN by paying the prescribed registration fees
- A website for NUHCAN <https://www.nuhcan.org/> has be set up and is now running. We invite you to visit the NUHCAN website and explore what we have been able to accomplish in the last 6 months.
- The NUHCAN leadership led by the Chairman of the BOT Hon. Prof. Adenike Grange who is a former Honourable Minister for Health in Nigeria; has held meetings with key players in UHC in Nigeria, including: a. Current Minister for Health Dr. Osagie Ehanire, current Minister of State for Health Senator Dr. A.O. Mamora; current Chairman of Senate Health Committee Senator Dr. Ibrahim Oloriegbe; Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme Prof. M.N. Sambo; Executive Secretary of the Country Coordinating Mechanism of the Global Fund Dozie Ezechukwu; USAID Health, Population and Nutrition Office’s Paul McDermott; The Palladium Group’s DR. Gafar Alawode; among others.
- NUHCAN actively participated in the 2019 UHC Events by organizing a press conference/media chart around UHC2030; and also participated in the UHC Day 2019 activities of the Government of Nigeria where NUHCAN was selected to represent and speak for the civil society and non-state actors.
NUHCAN’s 2020-2021 Strategic Priorities are available via this link/here <https://www.nuhcan.org/NUHCAN%20Organizational%20Strategic%20Priorities%202020-2021.pdf>
Kindly visit our website at www.nuhcan.org and view details of what our collective will to ‘Leave No one Behind’ has so far accomplished. we believe your continued encouragement and support are required to achieve our mandate, objectives and programmes/activities.
Attached is a photograph of the Honourable Ministers of Health with the BOT Chairman and Executive Secretary of NUHCAN when the Minister of Health received the NUHCAN BOT delegation in his office in Abuja, Nigeria, on 09-Jan-2020.
[PHOTO DESCRIPTION: Nigeria Universal Health Coverage Actions Network (NUHCAN) visited Hon. Minister of Health/Federal Ministry of Health in Abuja… Hon. Minister of Health Dr. Osagie Ehanire (2nd right), Hon. Minister of State for Health Sen. Dr. Olorumnibe Mamora (right), NUHCAN BOT Chair and former Minister of Health Prof. Adenike Grange (2nd left), and Executive Secretary of NUHCAN Dr. Uzodinma Adirieje (left)…when the NUHCAN delegation visited on 09-Jan-2020.]
Thank you for helping us to get thus far.
Sincerely,
Dr. Uzodinma Adirieje
(WHO Scholar Alumni, ASI Fellow)
Executive Secretary
Nigeria Universal Health Coverage Actions Network (NUHCAN)
Hse 29, 1Q1 Rd, FHA, Lugbe, Airport Rd; P.O. Box 8880, Wuse, Abuja, Nigeria
Twitter: @Nnuhcag; @uaadirieje
Email: nigeriauhcadvocacygroup@gmail.com, afrepton@gmail.com
Instalgram: @druzoadirieje; Skype: druzoadirieje2015@gmail.com
Website: http://www.nuhcan.org/
Phone, Telegram & WhatsApp: +234 803 472 5905