APC States Pledge 15% Budgetary Allocation To Healthcare
Governors of the All Progressives Congress-controlled states have promised to allocate 15 per cent of the annual budgets for health care delivery.
The decision was taken at a meeting of Commissioners of Health and Executive Secretaries of Primary Health Care Delivery of APC controlled states, on improving primary health care delivery in APC States.
This was contained in a Communiqué signed by the Kwara State Commissioner for Health Dr. Raji Razaq and the Director General of the Progressives Governors Forum, Salihu Lukeman, made available to journalist in Abuja, on Sunday.
The communique said after considering all the presentations and recognising the commitment of APC as provided in the party manifestos, the meeting stressed “The need for APC States to align with Federal Government declaration of 15 percent annual allocation and release to health care services.”
The Health Commissioners agreed that each of the APC States should undertake the establishment of sustainable health care financing system such as health insurance and health emergency trust fund.
They also agreed that APC States should “domesticate Primary Health Care under one roof in line with Federal Government policy initiative under the National Primary Health Care Development Authority.”
They agreed that “Priority consideration to be given to Maternal and Child Nutrition in Primary Health Care Delivery Services; APC States to strengthen coordination of initiatives to fast tract implementation of PGF Policy initiatives on Maternal and Child Health Services Delivery.”
According to the communique, those at the meeting also agreed to revitalise Primary Health Care Services, beyond erecting structures but also guaranteeing sustainable funding of facility operations to be prioritised.”
The commissioners also agreed to ensure that Public health care services should be data driven with the appropriate ICT, while measures should be put in place to strengthen regular processes of information sharing on issues of primary health care delivery among APC controlled States to facilitate synergy of initiatives and proactive responses; and that COVID 19 response efforts, including immunization should be sustained in APC States.”
