Saturday, August 17, 2024 -Health Commissioners from Nigeria’s 36 states have called for an increase in the budget allocation for health at all levels of government in the Federation.
While expressing
commitment to strengthening the Primary Health Care systems across the country,
they emphasised the need for more funding by the government.
The commissioners, along
with the Mandate Secretary of Health for the Federal Capital Territory, also
expressed support for the Federal Government’s workforce migration policy.
Chairperson of the
Nigeria Health Commissioners’ Forum and Commissioner for Health, Ekiti State,
Dr Oyebanji Filani, made this known to newsmen at the end of a two-day summit
on Friday in Abuja.
“Health financing was another key issue on our agenda, we are
advocating for increased budget allocations for health at all levels of
government,” he said.
Filani praised President
Bola Tinubu for approving the National Policy on Health Workforce Migration and
for his significant investment in the healthcare sector.
Acknowledging the acute
shortage of healthcare professionals, as highlighted in a recent NHCF
assessment, he underscored the urgent need for innovative strategies to
attract, train, and retain skilled workers in the health sector across Nigeria.
A significant portion of the discussions centred on the recent
Supreme Court ruling on Local Government Financial Autonomy and its
implications for Primary Healthcare in Nigeria.
The commissioners
reiterated their commitment to strengthening PHCs as the foundation of the
nation’s healthcare system.
Filani underlined the
importance of ensuring adequate staffing, training, and the provision of
essential medicines and equipment at the grassroots level.
“A sub-committee is
established to develop a position paper on the implications of the Supreme
Court judgment for PHC financing.
“This paper will be
prepared in consultation with the Nigerian Governors Forum and the Federal
Ministry of Health and Social Welfare,” he said.
In response to recent outbreaks of cholera, diphtheria, and mpox,
the Commissioners reviewed preparedness and response measures in their various
states.
He commended the
leadership of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and called
for continued support to states to bolster preparedness and response.
“It was agreed that monthly meetings would be held between State
Health Commissioners and the Director-General of the NCDC to enhance
coordination and readiness,” he said.
He also expressed
concern over the rising incidence of non-communicable diseases such as
hypertension, diabetes, and renal diseases.
“We resolved to
prioritise NCDs in our state health agendas and committed to launching a
comprehensive awareness campaign titled
“Know your Number,
Control your Number,” scheduled for the last quarter of 2024,” he said.
He pledged that the
commissioners would work towards achieving Universal Health Coverage and
commended the recent efforts of the FMoH&SW in promoting the Sector-Wide
Approach to healthcare delivery.
The commissioner
expressed their support for the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare’s
emerging digital health initiative, which aimed to revolutionize healthcare
delivery through data-driven decision-making.
He also commended the
leadership of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof.
Muhammed Ali Pate, and the Minister of State for Health, Dr Tunji Alausa, for their efforts in promoting digital
health solutions.
Filani reaffirmed the commissioners’ commitment to improving health outcomes across the country and called on all stakeholders, including the private sector and civil society, to join hands in building a healthier and more prosperous nation.
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