The Executive Secretary of the Plateau State Primary Health Care Board (PSPHCB), Dr. Raymond Juryit, has commended the administration of Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang for what he described as significant transformation in the state’s health sector, particularly primary healthcare delivery.
Juryit stated this at the opening ceremony of a five-day harmonisation of the 2027 Annual Operational Plan (AOP) for Local Government Areas, held at the COCIN Guest House, Jos.
The engagement is being implemented under the Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity (HOPE) Project and the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp), with the theme, “Building a Stronger Foundation for Implementation.”
The Executive Secretary, while addressing participants, urged them to take the exercise seriously, stressing that their commitment was necessary to justify the government’s huge investment in strengthening primary healthcare delivery across the state.
He said the harmonisation process would provide an opportunity for stakeholders to align their plans, improve coordination and ensure that available resources are directed towards priority healthcare needs.
The five-day exercise is designed to review existing structures, reconcile data gaps, standardise reporting tools, streamline processes and strengthen collaboration between state and local government teams towards achieving a unified health plan.
Also speaking, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Nicholas Baamlong, described the engagement as a significant milestone in the state’s efforts to strengthen coordination, improve data integrity and enhance operational alignment across the 17 Local Government Areas.
Baamlong said the Plateau State Ministry of Health would use the opportunity to refine its planning frameworks, strengthen feedback mechanisms and establish a more coordinated platform for effective monitoring, evaluation and evidence-based decision-making.
“Harmonisation remains a critical pillar for an efficient and responsive healthcare system as it ensures consistency in reporting, clarity in planning, coherence in implementation and accountability in service delivery,” the Commissioner said.
He reminded local government teams and technical officers that, as frontline implementers and custodians of health data systems, the quality of planning and decision-making at the state level largely depends on the accuracy, timeliness and consistency of information generated at the LGA and facility levels.
Earlier, the Plateau State SWAp Coordinator, Dr. Mworina Sunwar, explained that the harmonisation process was aimed at ensuring that the plans of all 17 LGAs were aligned with the State Health Sector Strategic Plan.
She listed key areas covered by the plans to include maternal and child health, immunisation, nutrition, disease surveillance, family planning, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in health facilities, and community health services.
Sunwar added that funding for the various activities would be mapped across state resources, LGA contributions, federal grants, development partners and internally generated revenue (IGR).
Highlights of the opening day included presentations of the 2027 Annual Operational Plan activities by some LGAs, as well as an interactive question-and-answer session.
The engagement is expected to culminate in a consolidated and costed 2027 Primary Health Care Annual Operational Plan for Plateau State.
