The Minister for Health, Professor Isaac Adewole weekend said the federal government has released N55 billion to ensure the success of Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) in the country.
Speaking at the programme to kick start enrolment into the BHCPF at the Airport road clinic, Limawa, Minna, Niger state, the minister said the release of the money signposted the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari’s government to the good health of rural Nigerians.
He said: “As a government, we are mindful that our success depends on our ability to transform non- re-renewable (and often volatile) natural capital into productive wealth by investing more in human capital. President Buhari is concerned about the good health of Nigerians in rural areas.”
In October 2014, the National Health Care Bill was signed into law which provides a legal framework for the provision of healthcare services to all Nigerians and for organisation and management of the health system.
Half of the fund would be used to provide Basic Minimum Package of Healthcare Services (BMPHS) in PHC facilities through the National Health Insurance scheme (NHIS) and the state Health Insurance Scheme (SSHIS).
Professor Adewole stated that there are three pioneer states for the scheme. They are: Osun, Niger and Abia states.
He said: “To ensure equity in the disbursement of the funds, we have allocated resources per state based on the incidence of poverty and also on a per capital basis.
“Residents of Niger state will benefit from services worth N964million over the next 9 months .This amount is equivalent to payment for the management of five hundred and sixty seven thousand (N567, 000) women with normal deliveries, one million, six hundred and six (1,606,000) cases of under 5 childhood illnesses or one million, two hundred and five thousand (1,205,000) cases of malaria.
“Children will no longer have to die as a result of vaccine preventable diseases or other common ailments. Also, access to healthcare will not be limited because of not having money to pay.”
In his speech, the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Faisal Shuib said, “President Buhari has demonstrated his commitment to improving the quality of primary health care by providing N55 billion towards the Basic Health Care Provision Fund.”
