Government budget alone cannot fund healthcare ― Osinbajo

Osinbajo

The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has said there is no way that the government budget alone can fund health care stressing that a lot more needs to be done to reposition the Primary Health Care (PHC) system in Nigeria.

Osinbajo said this on Thursday at the ongoing Primary Health Care Summit towards revitalizing the Nigerian health sector.

The Summit which is organised by the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency themed: “Re-imagining Primary Health Care in Nigeria”.

Osinbajo while speaking further, therefore called on the private sector to assist Nigeria to achieve Universal Health Coverage by taking part in health service delivery.

“There is a great need for synergy from private sectors, partners and the Federal Government to avoid duplication of Primary Health Care facilities,” he said.

The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire pointed out that Nigeria needs at least one functional primary health care centre in all local government areas in the country.

Ehanire disclosed that 70% of diseases can be managed at PHCs thereby reducing the burden on Secondary health facilities stressing that the PHC has been neglected for too long with adverse effects on the citizens.

According to Ehanire, “to achieve these objectives, we must overcome obstacles militating against giving due attention to Primary Healthcare and to their optimal performance.

“In plain terms, we urgently need to revitalise PHC services by ensuring their availability at designated communities, at least one functional PHC per ward, along with an adequate complement of human resources for health (HRH); comprising at the least of nurses, skilled birth attendants and other staff for basic healthcare.

“They must be supported with efficient supply chain management that assures availability of essential medicines, medical devices, consumables and other commodities.

“Our newest PHC design sees the provision of staff quarters in every PHC, to enable round-the-clock service delivery.

“The plan also requires an obligatory source of potable running water and steady power supply with solar aggregate, for a conducive environment to deliver quality healthcare services.

“Indeed, the foundation of any strong health system and for Universal Health Coverage rests on a robust, resilient PHC system, where health experts reckon that up to 70% of the country’s disease burden can be treated and vital disease prevention and health promotion education can be given, including immunization, routine and mass drug administration for various chronic diseases.

“Strengthening PHCs, not only assures better population health but reduces the workload on secondary and tertiary Healthcare levels and also the catastrophic out-of-pocket patient spending on health. The PHC level has been neglected, with a consequent negative impact on human capital development.

“But we also have opportunities to build back better, with the goodwill and funds that have flowed into the system since then. It is in that light that we wish to rebuild our system by correcting the imbalance among the levels of care, beginning with this PHC summit.”

Ehanire added that Nigeria has altogether invested overwhelmingly in Tertiary Healthcare, from Public, private and Corporate points of view, and in comparison, little on Primary Healthcare, where the real health need is and where nearly all the damning statistics in health indices are generated.

The Minister of Finance, Zainab Shamsiya Ahmed maintained that quality Primary Health Care is indispensable to achieving Universal Health Coverage in Nigeria.

Ahmed said the use of electronic medical records, telemedicine and use of drones in hard-to-reach areas, villages have helped in streamlining ease delivery to most PHCs in Nigeria.

The Chairman, Nigeria Governors Forum, Dr Kayode Fayemi reiterated the commitment of the NGF to strengthening PHC in each of the 36 states of the federation.

“The use of electronic medical record, telemedicine and use of drone in hard-to-reach areas, villages have helped in streamlining ease delivery to most PHCs in Nigeria,” Fayemi said.

The World Health Organization(WHO) Regional Director, Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, said that the COVID-19 pandemic has shown that healthcare is a critical aspect of the economy.

Moeti commended the Government of Nigeria for its desire to reimagine primary health care in Nigeria.

Speaking on behalf of the private sector, Chairman, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, said that every local government area in Nigeria has people who can deliver Primary Health care centres for them.

“The private sector is not just behind Primary Health Care but fully aligned with all health care systems in Nigeria,” Aig-Imoukhuede said.

The Chief Executive Officer of GAVI, Dr Seth Barkley said that “Revitalization of the Primary Healthcare is critical not just to the people at the community but also for global security.

“I commend the government of Nigeria for the initiative and commitment to strengthening primary health care.

“We urge the government to fulfil the Abuja declaration commitment to health. Gavi will continue to support Nigeria to succeed.”

In his presentation, the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Faisal Shuaib said that Nigeria has a four-point PHC agenda to implement.

“The four-point agenda is about implementing strategies that work and also thinking about those strategies that will drive more service delivery and revitalisation of our Primary health care sectors in Nigeria.

“Everybody here today has a part to play in changing the current state of our PHCs. Now is the time for us to talk and deliver solutions that will radically transform the PHCs in Nigeria.”

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