Benue moves to adopt ‘One Health’ strategy as it pushes for cross-sector collaboration

By Johnson Arua

The Director General of the Benue State Bureau for International Cooperation and Development (BICD), Dr. Leo-Angelo Viashima, has urged the state to adopt the One Health approach in the health sector, emphasizing the need for stronger collaboration across key sectors to improve health outcomes.

Viashima made the call at the 2026 First Quarter Health Sector Coordinating Meeting organised by the Benue State Ministry of Health and Human Services with support from Terres des Hommes (Tdh), noting that the approach aligns with the vision of Governor Hyacinth Alia’s administration.

He described One Health as a collaborative and multisectoral strategy that integrates efforts across sectors impacting public health.

“The common theme of One Health is collaboration across sectors. It involves thinking and working beyond silos, optimizing resources and efforts while still respecting the autonomy of various sectors,” Viashima said.

He added that adopting the framework would enhance understanding of co-benefits, risks, trade-offs, and opportunities necessary for equitable and holistic health solutions.

Highlighting its practical implications, Viashima stressed the importance of broader stakeholder representation in health discussions.

“In Benue State, if we were fully practicing One Health, this meeting would have had Commissioners for Water Resources, Women Affairs, Education, Agriculture, Finance, about seven commissioners in attendance.

“These are all critical stakeholders. We would also have members of the state’s security architecture present, because Primary Healthcare Centres and General Hospitals require adequate security to function effectively,” he stated.

The BICD boss disclosed that plans were underway to convene a One Health Summit to deepen awareness and coordination among stakeholders.

“We have discussed with the Health Commissioner, and he assured that as part of his achievements, he would like to see the One Health Summit come to life,” he said, adding that development partners’ support would be critical as “the summit will provide an opportunity to address some of the major health challenges facing the state.”

In his remarks, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Paul Ogwuche, represented by the Director of Public Health, Dr. Joshua Agbadu, said the meeting was aimed at strengthening coordination and improving service delivery.

“The purpose of this meeting is to strengthen coordination among stakeholders, review ongoing interventions, and enhance collaboration toward improving health outcomes across the state,” Agbadu said.

He noted that the forum also helps align partners’ activities with government priorities.

“This is where we assess what has been done, identify gaps, and make recommendations for the way forward. I must say we are impressed with the feedback received and the quality of deliberations,” he added.

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the Benue State Health Insurance Agency, Prof. Kenneth Korve, described the meeting as a vital platform for harmonising the activities of development partners.

“Most partners receive funding from international donors and implement various health programmes. They are expected to register with the Ministry of Health and work in alignment with state priorities,” Korve said.

He noted that interventions by partners cover areas such as nutrition, immunisation, tuberculosis, HIV, leprosy, and healthcare services for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and host communities.

“Organisations like WHO and UNICEF play key roles. WHO provides leadership in health interventions, while UNICEF has been instrumental in immunisation and maternal and child health programmes,” he added.

Korve further disclosed that UNICEF recently supported the agency to provide health insurance coverage for 2,500 residents in 2026.

Highlights of the meeting included a presentation by Cornelius Ayantse on first quarter implementation progress of development partners under the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) priority areas.

The report outlined key achievements, challenges, and recommendations aimed at strengthening the state’s health system and ensuring sustainability ahead of the 2026 Annual Operational Plan cycle.

The meeting was attended by top government officials, development partners, civil society organisations, and non-governmental organisations implementing health interventions across Benue State.