In a sunlit conference room in Jalingo, the capital of Taraba State, the gentle murmur of conversation, as noted by The Guardian, on Tuesday, gave way to applause as health managers, government officials, and development partners gathered for an event that many hope will mark a turning point in healthcare for the state.

At the centre of the gathering was the launch of Taraba’s 2025 Annual Operational Plan (AOP) for the health sector, a detailed blueprint that signals the state government’s determination to transform healthcare delivery for its more than three million residents.

Unveiled during a three-day capacity-building workshop, the Director of Monitoring and Evaluation at the Taraba State Primary Health Care Development Agency and the SWAp Desk Officer, Dr. Reuben Nwunuji, spoke with conviction shaped by years in the system.

“The 2025 AOP is the outcome of extensive consultations and shared commitment,” he told the audience. “But it must not become a policy tucked away on shelves. It has to be implemented right from primary health centres to communities.”

Anchored on the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp), the AOP was designed to align Taraba’s health system with Nigeria’s broader National Health Sector Strategic Blueprint. It details measurable targets, costed interventions, and concrete strategies for every layer of healthcare from rural clinics to urban hospitals.

For Dr. Nwunuji, the plan’s real power lies in its focus on people. It prioritises expanding health insurance coverage, embracing digital health innovations, and boosting the state’s preparedness for public health emergencies—a stark lesson underscored by the COVID-19 pandemic and recent outbreaks of diseases like Lassa fever.

Equally significant is the administration backing these reforms. Since taking office, Governor Agbu Kefas, according to Dr. Nwunuji, has signalled health as a top priority. “Governor Kefas has given significant attention to revitalising healthcare in Taraba,” he said, adding that he “understands that health is the bedrock of development.”

Supporting Dr. Nwunuji’s stance, the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer from the State Ministry of Health, Garkumyebiyi Richard, noted that beyond the state’s own plans, Taraba is poised to tap into larger national and global partnerships. He introduced participants to the Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity (HOPE) Primary Health Care Provision Strengthening Program.

Supported by a staggering $1.57 billion in concessional financing from the World Bank, the HOPE initiative, Richard explained, is geared towards bolstering Nigeria’s National Health Sector Reform Investment Initiative (NHSRII) and the SWAp reforms.
“The HOPE Program is a tripartite operation targeting governance, education, and health pillars of human capital development. It’s about unifying healthcare workers around shared goals and ensuring collaboration between government agencies and donor partners,” Richard explained.

These partnerships are crucial in a state grappling with challenges similar to those in many parts of Nigeria: underfunded facilities, health worker shortages, and the dual burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases.

Declaring the workshop open, the Commissioner of Health, Bordiya Gbansheya Buma, who spoke through the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Harmony Chufor, spoke passionately about turning the AOP from paper into practice.

“There are robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms built into this plan to ensure accountability and learning. But all hands must be on deck to make this plan a reality,” he said.

For many in the room and indeed across the nooks and crannies of the state, a successful rollout of the AOP could mean fewer mothers dying in childbirth, quicker responses to disease outbreaks, and health centres better equipped to serve remote communities.

Stakeholders and health experts who spoke with The Guardian also expressed hope that Taraba, with the AOP as its compass, is firmly on track to build a stronger, more inclusive, and more resilient healthcare system.