By Ndidi Chukwu
The Community Health and Research Initiative (CHR) has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to make budget process transparent for effectiveness of Primary Healthcare Services and the achievement of Universal Health Coverage in Nigeria.
CHR Project Director for Champion for Change (C4C) in Maternal Newborn and Child Health budget transparency, Dr. Aminu Magashi Garba, made this call in Abuja during the formal presentation of the 2016 Midwife Service Scheme (MSS) and Immunization budget transparency scorecard to the media.
He commended the Federal Government for prioritizing MSS and Immunization budget in 2016 as captured in the NPHCDA recurrent budget and also encouraged the government to ensure that funds allocated to MSS and Immunization are transparently expended.
This he said will guarantee the safety of millions of Nigerian mothers and children when access to basic health care is made available, through accountable utilization of public funds.
On the 2016 Midwives Services Scheme (MSS) and Immunization budget transparency scorecard the country scored “RED” poor on “Transparent Budget Timetable”, which asked if the executives adhere to budget timetable for the preparation and release of MSS and immunization budget.
It also finds inadequacy on “MSS budget information clearly communicated to the public” which seeks to know the level of information provided to the public during budget preparation via electronic media, newspaper publications and public hearing.
Indicator on “transparent spending on MSS”, made findings on the level of financial details related to spending provided to the public through press statements, midyear reports and or annual reports and audited financial reports, the two scorecards indicated that information about budget for immunization and MSS is not often made available to the public and not adequate.
For “Transparent Allocation to MSS and Immunization” indicator which is finding out if the executive’s budget proposal provides detail information for the budget year on the entire component of MSS and Immunization that will be implemented, the results from the scorecard shows that MSS is inadequate while Immunization is on track but the government is encouraged to strengthen this process.
Dr. Magashi called on the Nigerian government to strengthen accountability by ensuring that information on immunization funding and Midwife service scheme is accessible to the public as it will increase community participation, trust and create demand for health care at community level.
He said: “Information about budget performance is only made available to the public on request, this is not right, they should be accessed by the public at any time. We are encouraging the budget office, Ministry of Health and the NPHCDA to publish information of funding and the health budget performance.
“This is what does not happen in the country we are advocating for transparency, we want to see these reports published on pages of
newspaper and on the websites of the government agencies.”
