By Nnedinma Okeke
The World Health Organization (WHO) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening collaboration with the Anambra State Government to improve primary healthcare delivery, immunisation coverage, and access to quality healthcare services across the state.
The commitment was reiterated during an advocacy visit by the WHO South-East Zonal Coordinator, Dr. Chukwumuanya Igboekwu, and his team to the Anambra State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (ASPHCDA) on October 7 at the Agency’s office complex in Awka.
Speaking during the visit, Dr. Igboekwu explained that the engagement was aimed at strengthening the existing partnership between WHO and the state’s health sector, with particular emphasis on revitalising the State Primary Healthcare Task Force on Primary Healthcare and Immunisation.
He stressed the importance of inaugurating and periodically reactivating the task force to ensure continuity, effective coordination, and the inclusion of new members as changes occur within the health system. He described the task force as an important platform for advocacy, strategic oversight, and improved coordination of primary healthcare and immunisation activities.
The WHO Zonal Coordinator commended the Anambra State Government, under the leadership of Prof Chukwuma Soludo, for its significant investments in healthcare infrastructure and ongoing health sector reforms. He noted that the state’s achievements were reflected in its successes at the Primary Health Care Leadership Challenge Awards in 2024 and 2025.
While applauding these strides, Dr. Igboekwu encouraged the Government to sustain and expand its investments in the health sector, particularly in extending quality healthcare services to rural and underserved communities. He emphasised that strengthening primary healthcare facilities remained essential to achieving equitable access to healthcare for all residents of the state.
He also highlighted the need to continue expanding the State’s health workforce, noting that inadequate staffing in some health facilities could undermine service delivery and limit the effective utilisation of existing infrastructure. He therefore encouraged sustained attention to the recruitment, equitable deployment, and retention of qualified health personnel across primary healthcare facilities.
In his remarks, the WHO Anambra State Coordinator, Dr. Bonos Mohammed, outlined the organisation’s key areas of intervention in the state, including polio eradication, routine immunisation, disease surveillance, outbreak investigation and control, emergency preparedness, and the promotion of the health and well-being of Ndi Anambra.
Dr. Mohammed reaffirmed WHO’s readiness to continue supporting the State Government in strengthening the health system. He further emphasised the importance of effective oversight and accountability in immunisation activities, noting that regular supportive supervision and sustained commitment from ASPHCDA would be critical to improving programme performance and health outcomes.
Responding, the Executive Secretary of ASPHCDA, Dr. Chizoba Prisca Ezeasor, expressed appreciation to the WHO delegation for its continued partnership, technical support, and contributions to improving the health and well-being of the people of Anambra State.
Dr. Ezeasor reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to working closely with WHO and other development partners to strengthen primary healthcare services across the state. She noted that ASPHCDA remained committed to ensuring that primary healthcare centres are accessible, functional, responsive to community needs, and adequately positioned to deliver essential health services.
She emphasised that primary healthcare constituted the foundation of an effective health system, adding that strengthening service delivery at this level would reduce avoidable pressure on secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities while ensuring that more people receive timely and appropriate care within their communities.
The Executive Secretary further underscored the importance of sustained collaboration among government institutions, development partners, healthcare workers, and communities in addressing existing gaps and consolidating the gains recorded in the State’s health sector.
The visit reaffirmed the shared commitment of WHO and ASPHCDA to advancing a stronger, more coordinated, and resilient primary healthcare system in Anambra State, with a common goal of improving immunisation coverage, strengthening disease prevention and response, and ensuring that quality healthcare services reach every community.
Nnedinma Okeke is of the Ministry of Information and Value Reformation, Anambra State
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