Stakeholders urged next govt to ensure implementation, utilization of health funds

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

Stakeholders in the health sector have called on the next government of the country to ensure adequate implementation and utilization of health funds.

The stakeholders made the call on Friday in Abuja at the Healthcare Transformation coalition (HTC) Symposium with the theme: ‘Repositioning The Healthcare Sector: Creating the Pathway to an Effective Health System’.

Specifically, Chairperson of the Health Sector Reform Coalition, Chika Offor,  said budgeting for health was beyond allocation.

She stressed that the next regime must ensure better implementation, utilisation of funds and evaluation to achieve a vibrant sector.

Offor said that funding is a very critical part of reforming the nation’s healthcare system.

“To improve the primary care system, there is a need to develop and implement systems that will enable the private sector to join the reform agenda”.

She said that any major challenge bedevilling the health system is the fact that there is a trust deficit and that should be resolved to enhance the rapid reformation of the healthcare sector in the country.

Also speaking, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, (NPHCDA), Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, Dr Bulama Garuba highlighted that health was created at home and the hospital did the repairs.

Garuba said that the agency had five principles of primary healthcare accessibility, public participation, health promotion, appropriate skills and technology and intersectoral cooperation adding that the goal of nursing practice was to improve the health of clients.

On his part, the host, Dr Jide Idris, also the former Commissioner of Health in Lagos State, said that HTC canvassed for the APC flag bearer Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to harmonise sustainable change in the various aspects of the Nigerian healthcare system in the country.

“We’re at a point where the 21st-century style of leadership is aptly needed to drive sustainable and unconventional change in the Nigerian healthcare system in terms of policy making, implementation, and sustainability”.