By Ndidi Chukwu
Community Health and Research Initiative (CHR) has committed to technically support the newly inaugurated Niger State Technical Working Group (TWG) on Health Care Financing, to ensure adequate allocation and timely release of health care funds in the state.
CHR’s Project Director, Dr. Aminu Magashi, who made the commitment in Minna, the state capital on Monday during the inauguration of the 33-man TWG, said the essence is to support the state to scale up healthcare financing and the inclusion of the state level CSOs and media coalition tagged ‘COMiN’ that CHR under PACFaH has trained and mentoring.
Gov. Abubakar Bello
Dr. Magashi who is also a member of the TWG used the opportunity to advocate for inclusion of CSOs coalition on MNCH in the TWG to ensure effective involvement of all stakeholders in the state and to deepen transparency.
The state Commissioner of Health, Dr. Mustapha Muhammed, who inaugurated the group in Minna, said the state identified the need for a strong accountability mechanism in place to strengthen health care delivery and efficiency in financial management.
“We are committed to ensure transparency and accountability in the way we manage our financial resources in our ministry of health, we also got our $1.5m funds for save one million initiative from World Bank and it will be spent transparently,” Dr. Muhammad said.
The committee chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry of health, Dr. Mukusidi Muhammed, will among many others review the state healthcare financing, equity and investment policy and also develop implementation strategies, develop guidelines for exemption of payments for health services in public health establishment.
The TWG is also tasked to harmonize the Basic healthcare package for the state (WMHCP. NHIS), organize advocacy, sensitization, awareness and community mobilization on contributory health scheme, and develop a framework for effective Partnership and collaboration with the private sector for health including health investment and resource mobilization.
