FG has budget N55bn for Basic Health Care Services ― Adewole

The Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, stated that the Federal Government has budgeted fifty-five billion nairas in 2019 Appropriation Bill for the Basic Health Care Provision for All Nigerians.

Professor Adewole made this known Yesterday, during the official opening ceremony of the Fifteenth Biannual Nursing Leaders Conference held in Awka, the Anambra State capital.

Professor Adewole who was represented by the Director of Hospital Services, Federal Ministry of Health Abuja, Dr Joseph Amedu, said, that Federal Government officially launched the Basic Health Care Provision Fund for all Nigerians in January 2019.

He explained that the fund will be shared by both the federal government and state governments that meet the requirements for accessing the fund and noted that it will help the government to give all Nigerians, accessible, affordable, effective and qualitative health care system that can meet the health needs of the population.

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The Minister who noted that the basic health care, is a process the government wants to use to close gaps towards achieving the universal
health coverage in the country described nurses and midwives as the front line health workforce fostering and maintaining links between individuals, families, communities and the rest of the health care system and wished the participants a fruitful deliberation.

Declaring the week-long event opened, Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State, represented by the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Joe Akabuike, thanked the Council for finding the state worthy for the hosting of this year’s event and made it clear that his administration has implemented health policies and programmes as well as reforms that have given residents of the state qualitative and affordable health care system.

In a keynote address, the Head Department of Nursing Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University Ille-Ife, Professor Omolola Irinoye, urged nurses and midwives to upgrade their skills and adhere to international best practices to be at par with their global counterparts and warned against internal rivalry among them.

In a vote of thanks, the Secretary-General of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria cum Registrar, Alhaji Faruk Abubakar, appreciated Governor Obiano for hosting them and assured that the knowledge garnered at the end of the conference, will help reposition the Council for good.

Others who give goodwill messages at the conference were the Director of Nursing Services in the Anambra State Ministry of Health, Mrs Dominica Akpati, the Chairman Board of Directors of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, Dr Abosede Bola-Ofi and numerous other dignitaries.