By Asma’u Ahmad
The Federal Government says no fewer than 5,000 Nigerians will enjoin basic primary healthcare services from the one per cent of national consolidated revenue as Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) under the National Health Act (NHA) 2014.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Senator Lanre Tejuosho disclosed this while presenting a keynote address at commemoration of Mamaye Day 2018 in Abuja on Monday.
Mamaye is an NGO complementing government effort on the delivery of primary healthcare services in the country. The theme of day is: “Budget Implementation and the oversight function of the legislature.’’
Senator Lanre Tejuosho
Senator Tejuosho assured that 5,000 Nigerians from all the 774 local government areas would be able to go to any functional PHC facility and access basic healthcare services.
He said that it was a good start to ensure that basic healthcare was available to Nigerians all over the country no matter where they live.
The legislator said the senate committee was guided by the principles of Universal Health Coverage (UHC); its approach to budget was centred on pushing Nigeria towards realising UHC. He recalled that the NHA was signed into law in 2014, but regretted that Nigeria was yet to start its implementation for effective healthcare delivery.
The Eight Assembly has appropriated for the BHCPF which was provided under the Act in 2018 appropriation. “The 2018 budget submission from the executive did not contain the request for BHCPF. “I am saying this to clear the air because you may hear that the budget of Federal Ministry of Health has increased by about N55 billion. “It is because of the importance the legislators attach in the implementation of NHA,’’ he said.
Dr Tunde Shegun, the Country Director, MamaYe Evidence for Action, an NGO, said there was a need for resources for the system to function to enable Nigerians have a healthy population.
He said over the years there was a support for training and building capacity for various health professionals. “The MamaYe 2018 Day was dedicated on the aspect of health budget and timely releases of funds to improve budget performance and the implication of timely releases of funds on health budget performance. “Health is not in isolation when the country released budget in the middle of the year, from January to June people’s health challenges and needs that must be met.
“What we are saying is if the budget was passed on timely basis and the funds appropriated were released then their health system can improve,’’ he said.
