Taraba Prioritises PHC, Maternal Health In 2027 Plan

Taraba State government has placed Primary Health Care (PHC), maternal and child health, immunisation and nutrition at the centre of its 2027 health sector priorities.

The priorities were unveiled at the 2027 Annual Operational Plan (AOP) Harmonisation, Review and Finalisation Workshop held in Yola.

During the workshop, stakeholders reviewed the state’s health performance and mapped out interventions for the coming year.

Declaring the workshop open, the commissioner for Health, Dr Bordiya Gbansheya Buma, said the government must channel scarce resources towards interventions capable of delivering the greatest health impact across the state.

He listed strengthening PHCs, improving maternal, newborn and child health, immunisation and nutrition, malaria control, disease surveillance, emergency response, health workforce development, the provision of essential medicines, health infrastructure and digital health systems as key areas requiring serious attention in 2027.

Buma stressed that the success of the plan would ultimately be measured by tangible improvements in healthcare delivery rather than the quality of the document produced.

“The true test of the plan will not be the quality of the document we produce at this workshop, but the measurable improvements it delivers in our health facilities and communities,” she said.

The state health sector-Wide approach desk officer, Reuben Nwunuji said the AOP would also serve as a key instrument for delivering the HOPE Disbursement Linked Indicators (DLIs).

He urged the stakeholders to align available resources with critical health needs and collectively pursue priorities that can produce measurable results across the sector.

The Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Pharm. Solomon Angyu said the workshop provided an opportunity to assess previous achievements, identify gaps and harmonise realistic priorities for 2027.

Representatives of UNICEF, Helen Keller International and Chigari Foundation also urged stakeholders to adopt an open and constructive approach in developing a practical, affordable and results-oriented health plan.

The 2027 AOP is expected to provide a framework for translating the state’s health priorities into concrete interventions at health facilities and community levels.