Health minister inaugurates verification agent for SOMLPforR

Prof. Adewole (6th from left) poses with members of the committee at the retreat

The Minister of Health Prof. Issac Adewole yesterday in Abuja inaugurated the Verification Agent (IVA) for the $500m ‘Saving One Million Lives Programme For Results,’ (SOMLPforR),  the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA) grant to the 36 states of the federation and FCT to tackle key health projects.

The projects, described as “six pillars of health” include childhood essential medicines and increasing treatment of important childhood diseases, maternal, newborn and child health, improving child nutrition, immunisation, malaria control and elimination of mother to child transmission of HIV.

Inaugurating  the committee at a retreat organised by the federal programme management unit of SOMLPforR Prof. Adewole pledged said that the ministry would not interfere with the activities of the agent in any way.

He charged the agent to serve to the best of its ability as an independent and credible assessor of the performance of the programme implementation at state and federal levels.

“We promise support but not interference, we will allow you to do your work.

“We need to utilise this resources properly, we have to show results and we have to pay for results. If there are no results there will be no further payment,” he said.

The National Programme Manager, SOMLforR, Dr Ibrahim Kana, said that the IVA are like referees who will ensure there is a level playing field.

Kana reiterated that the disbursement-linked indicators are tied to future disbursements for states.

SOMLPforR was launched in Abuja in July 2016.

Announcing the inauguration is his twitter handle, Prof. Adewole  declared: “I just inaugurated the Independent Verification Agent for our $500m Saving One Million Lives Programme For Results. Big one for Nigeria.”

He described the inauguration of the IVA as  “a significant part of SOMLPforR implementation arrangement,” saying (It’s)  “time to take Nigeria away from rank of war torn countries. I am confident in our PMU & IVA selected by Min. of Finance to make change happen.”