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| President Muhammadu Buhari (right) with Senator Ita Enang, Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), during the president’s presentation of the 2018 budget to the joint session of the National Assembly in Abuja on Tuesday. PHOTO: JIDE OYEKUNLE |
By Chioma Umeha
As the National Assembly begins to prepare the 2017 budget, Civil Society
Organisations (CSOs) have demanded the Federal Government to dedicate one per
cent of the fiscal plan as consolidated revenue fund to health as it previously
promised.
CSOs in Nigeria under the Health Sector Reform
Coalition (HSRC), which vigorously advocated the passage of the National Health
Act (NHAct), are worried about what they described as the unfavourable signals
from the Federal Ministry of Health.
One of the members of the coalition and Country
Representative of ONE Campaign, Nigeria, Edwin Ikhuoria, said in Abuja
yesterday that the success of the National Health Act (NHAct) could not be
guaranteed because of Federal Government funding and counterpart funding requirement
from Sates.
Ikhuoria said: “We have reliably gathered that the
one per cent of the consolidated revenue fund in Article 11 of the NHAct needed
for Basic Health Provision Fund (BHPF) may not make it through the executive
budget proposal for 2017 despite all promises and commitments publicly made by
the present government.”
He said it took the CSOs 10 years to convince
policy makers to pass the act.
He added : “Thus the much-celebrated presidential
assent on October 31, 2014. It is two years since the enactment of the act, yet
government at all levels has not made much effort o see to the implementation.
Similarly, Country Representative of Champions for
Change, Mrs. Theresa Iffa Kaka urged the president to fulfill his promise made
to Nigerians, stakeholders and the global community to ensure the full
implementation of the NHAct by making sure that the one per cent consolidate
revenue fund is put in the 2017 budget.
She said: “It must be stated for all to know that
Article 11 of the NHAct, Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, which is to be funded
by not less than one per cent of the consolidated revenue fund will be
disbursed as follows: 50 per cent – Basic Minimum Health Package (NHIS), 20 per
cent-Essential Drugs and Vaccines (NPHCDA), 15 per cent – Laboratory Equipment
and Transport (NPHCDA), 10 per cent -Human Resources for Primary Health Care
(NPHCDA) and five per cent-Emergency Medical treatment (FMoH).
“This breakdown as captured in the law clearly
provides a proper take off of Universal Health Coverage, gives a guideline for
funds needed for procurement of essential drugs and vaccines to save the lives
of millions of Nigerians who cannot afford health out of pocket.”
