WHO and NDDC have partnered to improve Niger Delta health

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) have decided to collaborate in ways that would benefit the local population, which could lead to an improvement in healthcare delivery in the oil region.

Samuel Ogbuku, the managing director of the NDDC in Port Harcourt, affirmed this. He reported that the Commission presented a health insurance project for the Niger Delta region to WHO representatives during a recent meeting.

Ogbuku stated: “The WHO wants to give our work more legitimacy and professionalism. The World Health Organization’s involvement in our medical outreach program will guarantee that the vaccinations that we are unable to obtain will be obtained for the benefit of our people through them.

“We are looking at their contacts, reach, and expertise in the medical field in addition to what they will bring to us in terms of funding.”

In order to improve service delivery in the Niger Delta region, the CEO stated that the commission was also in discussions with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) about youth development and reestablishing public trust.

Speaking about partnerships with other organizations, Ogbuku stated that the NDDC had achieved a great deal since adopting Public-Private Partnership, or PPP, as a central tenet of its philosophy.

According to the head of NDDC, the PPP arrangement encompasses not only partnerships with IOCs but also other vital sectors like youth development, health, and education.

“In certain areas, we are seeking technical assistance, not necessarily money,” said Ogbuku. I guarantee that the PPP initiative is gathering steam and garnering the attention of numerous individuals.

Because we need adequately qualified staff to conduct the majority of our programs and because they need to be updated on a regular basis, we are now searching for technical support in the field of staff training.

We must carefully examine some of these partnerships, particularly those involving the business sector, as we cannot afford to jeopardize the interests of our citizens. We must make sure that the proper decisions are made because we are not just working for ourselves but also on behalf of the people of the Niger Delta.

Citing the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the NDDC and the Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) to collaborate on diverse fronts in the delivery of sustainable development projects, Ogbuku stated that there had been positive outcomes from the partnership arrangements.

In response to criticism of the present NDDC Board’s handling of the policies put forth prior to their inauguration, Ogbuku stated that the board members had embraced the initiatives and were pleased with their direction.

“The board members were satisfied with the presentation our consultant on Holistic Opportunity Projects of Engagement (HOPE) gave at our most recent meeting.

Additionally, they have asked that we meet with KPMG so that we may discuss the status of developing a Standard Operating Procedure, or SOP, that will cover every facet of the Commission’s operations and transactions.

Ogbuku stated his happiness with the synergy between the management and the board, crediting Mr. Chiedu Ebie, the board chairman, for his expertise and experience. “The Chairman has extensive experience in both the public and private sectors as an administrator,” he declared.

“Undoubtedly, as Management and the Board, we will accomplish more together, because if there is one thing we have to do, it is to collaborate in order to bring development to the people of the Niger Delta region,” he said.