Nasarawa State Forges 2026 Health Blueprint Through Collaborative Planning

The Nasarawa State Ministry of Health has begun developing its 2026 Annual Operational Plan (AOP), a comprehensive roadmap that will set health priorities, activities, and budgets for the coming year.

The four-day strategic meeting, held from September 17th to 20th, 2025, at Otunsha Hotel in Keffi, brought together key stakeholders from across the state's health system. Representatives included officials from the Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Hospital Management Board, Drugs Supply and Management Agency, Health Insurance Agency, and other critical agencies, fostering a unified approach to joint planning.

In his address to participants, the Honourable Commissioner for Health, Dr. Gaza Gwamna, emphasized that robust planning is the cornerstone of effective healthcare delivery. “When our Governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, is recognized for health interventions, it is a direct result of the work you are doing here,” Dr. Gwamna stated. “Your dedication is what translates our vision into tangible results for the people.”

The AOP process is strategically designed to align state-level activities with national health objectives. Mrs. Anna Joshua, the SWAp Desk Officer at the Ministry, outlined the plan's primary goals: “Our priority is to drastically reduce maternal mortality and, above all, to guarantee health for all citizens of Nasarawa State.”

Echoing this sentiment, Dr. Kamil Shoretire, Director of Health Planning, Research, and Statistics at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, highlighted the AOP's critical role in achieving broader national targets. “This process is essential for translating goals—such as reducing maternal and newborn deaths, expanding immunization, and eliminating malaria and tuberculosis—into concrete state-level actions,” he said.

The development of the 2026 AOP builds directly on the insights from the state’s recently concluded Joint Annual Review (JAR). By linking the evidence and performance gaps identified in the JAR to the new operational plan, Nasarawa State is ensuring its 2026 health interventions will be data-driven, impactful, and centered on the needs of its residents.