The Federal Ministry of Health is working to validate the National Health Sector COVID-19 Pandemic Response Action Plan, aimed at curbing the pandemic in the country.

The draft plan was presented during the virtual National Council on Health (NCH), which held on Tuesday, 21st April 2020, and noted by the council.

The ministry stated this in a statement signed by its Director, Information, Media, and Public Relations, Mr. Olujimi Oyetomi, on Saturday in Abuja.

Oyetomi said departments and agencies of the ministry had taken a second look at the Plan for their input before the document would be submitted for adoption at the forthcoming National Council on Health.

“A Special National Council on Health Meeting has already been scheduled to take place the latest by the next two weeks.

“The journey of the Plan began when the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, constituted eight-man committee tasked with reviewing and harmonizing all existing COVID-19 plans into a single response plan.

“The committee commenced activities on 16th April 2020, with the secretariat was domiciled within the Department of Special Projects.

“Ehanire also approved the mobilization of partners to support the ministry to facilitate the process and ensure the delivery of a document that is reflective of the situation and meet the needs of the entire health sector.

“The partners include the WHO, DFID (through the Lafiya Project) and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) which continued to support the process till the time it was ready for validation by the Departments and Agencies of the ministry on 19th of June, 2020,’’ he said.

According to him, the Integrated Health Sector COVID-19 Pandemic Response Plan will be critical to ensure that a single plan exists.

“Ensuring that a single integrated view exists that eliminates unnecessary fragmentations, duplications and overlaps, clarifies adjacencies, and defines responsibilities between the Ministries, Departments and Agencies, and the States’ Ministries of Health.

“Ensuring an articulated engagement with the private sector in response to the current pandemic to build resilience on the health system now and for the future,’’ the statement read in part.