APC states to allocate, release 15% annual budget for healthcare delivery


The states controlled by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have all agreed to henceforth allocate and release 15 percent of their annual budget for the healthcare delivery in their states.

The APC states also agreed to henceforth undertake establishment of sustainable health care financing system such as health insurance and health emergency trust fund in their states.

In a communique released Sunday in Abuja after a meeting of Commissioners of Health and Executive Secretaries of Primary Health Care Development Agency of APC Controlled states on improving Primary Health Care Delivery in APC states held in Kwara state.

The communique jointly signed by the Director General of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) Salihu Lukman and the Commissioner of Health, Kwara state Dr. Raji Razaq, said APC controlled states also resolveed “to domesticate Primary Health Care under one roof in line with federal government policy initiative under the National Primary Health Care Development Authority; Priority consideration to be given to Maternal and Child Nutrition in Primary Health Care Delivery Services;

“APC States to strengthen coordination of initiatives to fast tract implementation of PGF Policy initiatives on Maternal and Child Health Services Delivery;

“Initiatives to revitalise Primary Health Care Services, beyond erecting structures but also guaranteeing sustainable funding of facility operations to be prioritised;

“Public health care services should be data driven with the appropriate ICT;

“Undertake to strengthen regular processes of information sharing on issues of primary health care delivery among APC controlled States to facilitate synergy of initiatives and proactive responses; and COVID 19 response efforts, including immunisation should be sustained in APC states.”

The objectives of the meeting, according to the communique were to identifying challenges of primary health care delivery, Proffering sustainable solutions aimed at tackling the identified challenges confronting primary healthcare delivery, Facilitating the adoption of uniform implementation of policy initiatives on primary healthcare delivery across all APC states and Promoting synergy, peer review and experience sharing among APC states on primary healthcare delivery.

“There were presentations from the World Health Organisation (WHO) Representative in Nigeria, Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo and the Representative of the Executive Director of National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Abdullahi Bulama Garba.

“Issues identified requiring responses from government borders on Health Care Financing, Health Infrastructural Development, Human resources for Health care delivery, Quality control, Intersectoral collaboration and Service Delivery.

“Following all the presentations and recognising the commitment of APC as provided in the party manifestos, the meeting resolved as follows: The need for APC states to align with Federal Government declaration of 15% annual allocation and release to health care services.

“APC states to undertake establishment of sustainable health care financing system such as health insurance and health emergency trust fund.”