Federal Government, says Nigeria will require one trillion Naira to care for the health of the nation’s most vulnerable residents.
The Basic Health Care Provision Fund would handle this (BHCPF).
At the Nigeria Health Commissioners’ Forum in Abuja, Dr. Chris Isokpunwu, Secretary of the Ministerial Oversight Committee for BHCPF, FMOH, said this.
The conference’s focus was on “Financing Primary Health Care in Nigeria – Expanding the Frontiers at the Sub-National.”
Isokpunwu claimed that by using the funds, the nation will also be able to offer vulnerable individuals Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
In addition to being based on the poverty index of each state, he added, the BHCF distribution was based on equity, equality, and the needs of the poor community.
To obtain more financing, in his opinion, it is necessary to show accountability, openness, and outcomes.
In doing so, he claimed, the BHCPF account was being audited and the distribution of all funds was being made public.
Primary Health Care (PHC) finance in Nigeria began more than 40 years ago, according to Mr. Christoph Kurowski, global lead of health financing for the World Bank Group.
According to Kurowski, the goal for many high-income nations is to provide primary healthcare for 80% of the population’s healthcare needs.
“The lack of knowledge, which may include not knowing what to do and how to do it, is one of the challenges facing most PHC finance.
Understanding health financing, community environment, and how to address these concerns in public health, he declared, is essential.
Dr. Mary Boyd, the country director for the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), urged the creation of a system to evaluate the health needs of communities and guarantee that those who visit PHCs receive high-quality, equitable care.
According to Boyd, PHC staff members need to be educated on data management and how it can impact national public health.
The PHC Financing Forum aims to unite leaders at the sub-national level, according to Dr. Banji Filani, chair of the Nigeria Health Commissioners’ Forum.
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The meeting, according to Filani, the Commissioner for Health and Human Services for the State of Ekiti, would allow participants to consider ways to promote the nation’s primary healthcare agenda.
According to NAN, the 36 State health commissioners founded the Nigeria Health Commissioners’ Forum, which serves as the nation’s community of practice and learning platform.
The forum and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum collaborated for the first time this year to conduct an event that was focused on financing primary health care, particularly the importance that subnational systems must play in the process.
The organizers stated that Nigeria was not an example and that primary health centers worldwide needed proper funding and service delivery.
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