The Catholic Church has identified four Nigerian Governors who collaborate with the Church for effective health delivery to the people.

The Governors are Mr. Peter Obi of Anambra State, Chief Martin Elechi of Ebonyi State, Alhaji Ibahim Idris, former Governor of Kogi State and Sir Patrick Yakowa, former governor of Kaduna State.

The Secretary-General, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Rev. Fr. (Dr.) Ralph Madu, disclosed this at the just concluded National Catholic Health Summit held in Abuja, October 23-24.

Fr. Madu, who spoke on behalf of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), paid glowing tribute to Governor Obi “for building and sustaining exemplary working relationship with mission health services, including granting subventions to them.

The Church also commended Chief Elechi, “for his continued financial and sundry assistance to faith-based health service delivery systems in Ebonyi State”, while Alhaji Idris made the list “for generous assistance in the building of the Grimad Catholic School of Midwifery, Anyigba in Kogi State”.

Late Sir Patrick Yakowa, of Kaduna State, was remembered “for supporting mission health services (Christian and Moslem) during his administration.

The theme of the Summit was: Scaling up Catholic Health Services Through Enhanced Partnership.

Fr Ralph hoped that the outcome of the two-day first National Catholic Health Summit would engender new vistas for scaling up collaborations, partnerships, solidarity and subsidiarity by governments, organizations and persons of goodwill with the Catholic Health Services to grow and deliver proactive health care services to every Nigerian”.

In his address, the Director Church and Society, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Fr. Everistus Bassey called for the establishment of National/State Fund for Non-State Actors in Social Development (NFNSA).

“The fundamental basis for this advocacy is from the Catholic Social Principle of Subsidiarity where a higher level government or organization should not perform any function or duty that can be handled more effectively at a lower level by people who are close to the problem and have a better understanding of the issue”.

Fr. Bassey said the Church has been working in certain areas like health and education longer than any government and can do better with support”.

Another reason for advocating for a new policy measure to be put in place to encourage partnership between Church and State, according to Fr. Bassey, “is that funds controlled by government do not belong to government officials but to the people and the church serves the people”.

The Director, who observed that such partnership exists in other countries, said the advocacy is important because “if issues are not provided in a legal framework, then they can only depend on the goodwill of those in authority, and goodwill alone is not enough”.

In an interview with THE LEADER, Lady Stella Maris Achunine, Provincial Health Co-ordintor, Owerri Province who attended the summit, said the Catholic Church is a major stakeholder in the health sector and a principal partner of government in this civic responsibility.

She said that Owerri Province, made up of six dioceses – Owerri, Umuahia, Orlu, Okigwe, Ahiara and Aba, has 63 health facilities ranging from Health Posts, Maternities, Primary Health Centres to Secondary and Tertiary health institutions.

Lady Achunine pointed out that the vision of the health sector is to improve the health services of Owerri Province and beyond.  She called for the partnership of government and collaboration of other stakeholders for the realization of the goals of the Catholic heath sector.

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