FG To Disburse Basic Health Care Provisions Fund
The Vice – President made this known at the 3rd THISDAY Healthcare Policy Dialogue, Themed: Funding Healthcare for All; Why States Matter; Sub- theme, Emergency Medicine: Need for Action, held in Abuja recently.
Prof. Osinbajo noted that with the disbursement, Primary Healthcare Centers would be better equipped, across the country adding that ‘’ Maternal and Child mortality will be reduced, children will no longer die from vaccine preventable diseases and the country’ s health indices will improve generally’’, he said.
He urged the State’s Government to make good use of the funds stressing that states without commensurable results would miss out in further disbursement.
Prof. Osinbajo further added that ‘’ for the Federal Government to achieve Universal Health Coverage by 2030, we designed the Saving One Million Lives Programme for Result as part of efforts to incentivise states to enable us reward their performance . And we appreciate those that have distinguished themselves in the provision of healthcare to their people’’
He informed that the Present Administration under the leadership of President Muhammed Buhari would be transparent in the transfer of the funds down to the last area where it was needed adding that it would be disbursed swiftly across the country.
In his opening remarks, the Hon. Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole said that ‘’ Two years ago we took a loan from the World Bank and we distributed it to states as grant.
‘’ many states have utilized that money so well and we are celebrating them today. In the past, what we celebrated was money spent, but now we are celebrating real solutions in maternal health, child health, AIDS and immunization, he said.
He pointed out that there was need to strengthen all levels of healthcare and the Dialogue was a step in the right direction.
In her goodwill message, the World Bank Group, Practice Manager, Tryna Hague said that Nigerians deserved healthcare facilities equipped with necessary materials like drugs, vaccines and other health commodities.
She further said that the World Bank Group would approved the initial financing of $20M to support BHCPF in Nigeria.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Publisher of THISDAY Newspaper, Nduka Obaigbena, said that it was time for us to begin to focus on social infrastructure and address issues of poverty.
Eight States were honored using Federal Government’s SOML P for R index as a major tool in determining star states that delivered quality healthcare to their people.
The states are Zamfara, Lagos, Cross River, Delta, Anambra, Adamawa, Kano and FCT.
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