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The Minister of State for Health, Osagie Ehanire on Monday, confirmed the gradual withdrawal of funding supports of some donor agencies in Nigeria.
Osagie stated this while briefing journalists in Abuja to commemorate the World Health Day, 2018, he said although they are working with all donor agencies but some like United States of America and Gavi Alliance, have gradually started pulling out their supports and the Federal government has concluded arrangement to take over the supply.
The theme of this year’s World Health Day is “Universal Health Coverage: everyone, everywhere”, while our slogan is “Health for All”.
According to the Minister of State, “We are still working with donor agencies , like the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Population Fund, (UNFPA), and we also work with Countries like United States of America, Canada, United Kingdom etc. There is no withdrawal of these donors.
” The only withdrawal is the withdrawal of Gavi Alliance who supply us with vaccines and who are withdrawing in phases and arrangement has been made to graduate withdrawal for Nigeria to take over. The support that Garvi organization was giving to us. Other wise the collaboration and working with other groups is intact.
“The United States that use to supply us with drugs and commodity for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), is also stepping down gradually , we are also making arrangement to step in into that supply gap”.
On National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), low insurance coverage, he said government is moving to expand the coverage of those who earn an income to enrol in NHIS in their states and community.
He also reiterated the commitment of the federal government in revitalization of 10,000 Primary Heathcare Centers (PHC), which according to him is a primary item on the agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“As you know Buhari, flagged off PHC center in Kushingora and another one in Keffi in Nassarawa state. So the project is ongoing and we have support from various organization including European Union.
” So we are very much engaged in revitalization of PHC and more than 50% of them are already on board, 9,585 Primary Health Care,one functional center in every political ward, Some may even have 2 or more and the platform is Universal Health Coverage” he said.
The Minister of State, stress, “This administration recognizes the importance of Universal Health Coverage in the National Health System, as part of the social protection architecture to ensure that Nigerian citizens get quality health service, when and where they need it, without suffering financial hardship. To this end, the Government is working to provide physical access to health care with the revitalisation of one functional PHC Center in every political ward to serve citizens, even when they do not immediately have money to pay.
“This helps to preserve our human capital and contributes to productivity and socioeconomic development, while supporting equity, especially among rural dwellers and the urban poor, leaving no one behind. School children, the elderly and childbearing women will thus
also enjoy healthcare access, without risk of financial ruin to their
families.
” The Government recognizes PHC Centers as the platform for UHC and is pursuing the rehabilitation of almost 10,000 PHC Centers in Nigeria between now and the end of 2019, the operational design of which shall be the Ward Health System (WHS). Nigeria joins the global call for UHC implementation”.
LAIDE AKINBOADE-ORIERE
