Health Commissioners Want Proper Funding Of PHC To Tackle Preventable Health Challenges

 

By AKOR SYLVESTER-Abuja

In order to reduce the recurrence attack of preventable diseases and other health issues in the country, the Nigeria Health Commissioners’ Forum has advocated proper funding of Primary Health Care (PHC) and improved welfare of health personnel.

 

The commissioners who converged in Abuja at Primary Health Financing Forum organised by them and the Nigeria Governor’s Forum (NGF) said the country has what it takes to meet the universal health coverage, if health financing is prioritised.

 

They commended the federal government for the feat achieved in health sector, especially during the scourge of COVID-19 pandemic, stating that more could be done to tackle other health challenges in the country.

 

Speaking at the event, the commissioner of health and human services, Yobe state, and vice chairman, Health Commissioners’ Forum, Mohammad Lawan Gana said the gathering would, among other targets, interrogate how

Nigeria can fund Primary Health Care services especially for her poorest and most vulnerable populations towards making other general government investments outside the health sector count.

 

He noted that; “The COVID-19 pandemic has brought out the need for standard and functional Primary Healthcare at the sub national levels into spotlight. PHC is the most promising platform for providing basic essential preventive and promotive health interventions

and other public health functions and is widely recognised as a key component of all high-performing health systems as well as an essential foundation of Universal Health Coverage’,.

 

The forum vice chairman recalled that: “on October 25th, 2018, countries

around the world agreed to the Astana Declaration promising to strengthen their PHC systems as an essential step towards achieving UHC, a further affirmation of the Alma Ata declaration made in 1978.

 

“Four years post declaration, we are yet to achieve the desire of PHC meeting the basic health needs of the population in most Low- and Middle-income countries at least at the rate we are expecting. Public spending is

insufficient, access is inequitable and out of pocket spending is on the high side thereby making people to bypass PHC facilities to seek care in secondary and tertiary centers.

 

“While recognizing that in the last five years, the government of Nigeria at all levels have prioritized essential primary care services especially with the implementation of a key provision of the 2014 National Health Act; the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund  which is a conditional intergovernmental fiscal transfer for the advancement of

primary care services in Nigeria.

 

“The implementation of the fund has catalyzed subnational government consciousness to primary care prioritization especially with the expansion of social health insurance using publicly funded schemes for the poor and vulnerable population.

 

“During this two-day activity packed forum, we must take stock of our achievements as a country and make definite new commitments to accelerate progress.

 

“We must review some of the current challenges and lessons learnt from Nigeria’s flagship PHC initiative: BHPCF, domestic resource mobilization for PHC development especially at the subnational level, PHC performance, health insurance functions for PHC in a

balanced demand and supply side health system including pooling and strategic purchasing towards achieving UHC in Nigeria”,.

 

Continuing, he said, “We have seen repeatedly that primary health care drives improvements in immunization, communicable and non-communicable diseases, maternal health, and nutrition.

 

“Rethinking primary healthcare investments can secure a sustainable and more wholistic development for the Nigerian health sector. We can move the brick by working together to build a safer and healthier Nigeria for all of us.

 

The health commissioners vice chairman commended the state governors for their efforts in promoting good health and urged them not to relent in their efforts.

 

“It is also paramount that we recognize the unwavering support of the Nigeria

Governors’ Forum (NGF) in all activities of the Nigeria commissioners for health forum. While we continue to advocate to the NGF for sufficient investment in the health system, we must also be reminded that health access must be more equitable and efficient and we must prioritize the needs of the most vulnerable Nigerians, including

women and children”, he noted.