By Iyemah David
The World Bank Group says there is no form of identification and registration for the poor and most vulnerable people in Nigeria.
The Bank noted that if the vulnerable group in the country are registered and protected, Nigeria would have been considered to have achieved Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Dr Olumide Okunola, Senior Health Specialist, Health, Nutrition & Population, World Bank Group, stated this at the launch of the State of Primary Health Care (PHC), Service Delivery in Nigeria Report on Tuesday in Abuja.
The 2019-2021 report was organised by ONE Campaign, National Advocates for Health, Nigeria Health Watch, and the Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC) and partners.
The report tracked the health progress across the 36 states and the FCT, especially in the implementation of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), and has put forward some critical recommendations that can lead to improvement in health outcomes for all Nigerians.
Dr Okunola said that these loopholes continue to cause a significant delay to the UHC gateway in the country.
He stated that citizens would have more options if the private sector is included in the delivery of healthcare services in the country.
He, however, said that it would also put pressure on the public hospital to raise the standard of care.
“We need to start demanding high-quality services for Nigerians,” he explained.
The Chairman of Nigeria’s Senate Committee on Health, Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe, said he was pleased to take part in anything that helps Nigerians receive high-quality healthcare services delivery.
Oloriegbe questioned how the country hopes to use the report to leverage the 2023 election to bring the issues in health to the forefront of political the agenda.
He urged all relevant agencies should make use of the report on the national debates to give Nigerians, not the political class and a voice.
Chairman of the National Advocates for Health, Muhammad Usman, said that he believed that the National Health Act resulted in the BHCPF, which would ensure better health services at the PHCs across the country.
Usman urged Nigerians to take action to ensure that the funds for health were used to improve their health outcomes.
According to Mr Edwin Daniels, One Africa Executive Director, It is great to see collaborations that are working towards achieving quality health care in Nigeria, particularly at the grassroots level and that is the major aim of the #MakeNaijaStronger Campaign.
Daniels urged all stakeholders should continue to push for Nigerians
to actively demand health at the state level, where the funds were, and they must continue to ask for improved quality health at all levels.
Meanwhile, Ms Aituaje Iruobe, known professionally as Waje, a Nigerian singer, said that the report provides insights into the ranking of states on the implementation of BHCPF and the quality of service at PHCs across the country.
Iruobe said that Nigerians have witnessed the impact of poor health delivery in the country, but the hope lies in the resilience of the Nigerian health care workers.
“When I started collaborating with One in Nigeria, I did it out of a desire to improve the state of health care delivery in the country.
“The journey to improving quality health outcomes for all Nigerians, especially the poor and vulnerable, requires a firm commitment from all stakeholders, including our leaders. I dare to say that today’s gathering is a realisation of the need to do more,” she added.
The new National Health Act in Nigeria aims to substantially increase revenue and improve PHC services through the BHCPF.
For this additional revenue to reach PHC services efficiently, strategies must be in place to ensure accountability between the different stakeholders responsible for implementing the BHCPF at national, state, local and facility levels.
