UHC: WHO Reiterate Commitment to improving Health Sector in Nigeria
BY Victoria Ogunrinde
The World Health Organisation has renewed commitment to support the health sector towards improving maternal and child health, strengthening immunization and revitalization of Primary Healthcare system in the country
Country Representative, WHO, Dr. Kazadi Mulombo while speaking in Abuja on Monday at the presentation of the 2020 scorecard of the federal ministry of health to the public, said that WHO has commenced key reforms through the Triple Billion Goal of the GPW13 and the CCSIII which are clearly aligned to the NSHDPII to support Nigeria priorities of primary healthcare and health financing.
“To leverage the Polio legacy in revitalizing PHC for mothers and children, and make this work better for the people of Nigeria, we have already commenced key reforms through the Triple Billion Goal of the GPW13 and the CCSIII which are clearly aligned to the NSHDPII to support Nigeria priorities of primary healthcare and health financing as clear accelerators within the Global Action Plan for Healthy Lives and Wellbeing for All.
“Within our mandate, therefore, the WHO is deploying innovations in implementing unique global and country specific health observatories that bring together big data in all aspects of the health sector to support real-time planning and evidence-based implementation. With the priority placed on Nigeria by the WHO, Nigeria has already been designated as one of the eight (8) collaborative centers in Africa and so will significantly benefit the health sector in preparing for future stock-taking exercises,” he added.
Dr. Mulombo however commended the federal government on the report presentation as he stated that it is a good practice of accountability, transparency, and citizens engagement which are integral parts of health systems governance and stewardship towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
He added that the unveiling of the revised BHCPF Guidelines will help unlock great potentials towards financing UHC in Nigeria.
The Executive Secretary, NPHCDA, Dr Faisal Shuaib, lamented that the current primary healthcare system is under-utilized, as the significant burden has been transferred to the other tiers of the health systems.
He explained that the tertiary healthcare is design to cater for only 3% of the population while the secondary healthcare designed to cater for at least 27% of the population in reality, caters for over 70%.
‘’The primary healthcare designed to cater for at least 70% but, only caters forabout 20%. Most times moribund which causes the burden on the secondary healthcare’’, he added.
While stressing that all stakeholders are key to ensuring sustainable PHC financing in sustaining the UHC, Dr Shuaib added that the NPHCDA is collaborating with States, LGAs, and critical stakeholders to fast track progress by upgrading PHC Infrastructures and availability of well-trained health workforce amongst others.
On his part, Prof Ladipo Oladapo, National Advocate for Health who spoke on behalf of civil societies stressed the need to ensure increase in budgetary allocations for family planning to cover consumables, supplies and infrastructure, commodity, logistics, management, training of skilled providers and demand creation.