State governments in Nigeria have been urged to increase access to universal health coverage (UHC) scheme for citizens to ensure quality healthcare delivery.
The Project Officer, Universal Health Coverage for Women in Global Health, Nigeria (WGH), Dr. Sienne Oluwatosin Orogun, made the call at a conference tagged “Using Local Strategies and Structures to Boost Universal Health Coverage” in Ilorin, Kwara.
Dr. Orogun, who said that there are established policies geared towards making health insurance available and affordable to vulnerable persons in the society, however, added that effective implementation had remained a challenge.
She called for a renewed commitment and action “to implementing context-specifix strategies that will bring us closer to health for all and appropriate representation of women in key policy and leadership roles because true progress towards UHC must be inclusive, ensuring that no one is left behind”.
Earlier in a keynote address, the Kwara state commissioner for Health, Dr. Amina El-Imam, emphasized that Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is the goal of ensuring that all people have access to full range of quality health services they need, when and where they need them, without facing financial hardship.
“It’s about providing equitable access, ensuring the quality of care, and protecting people from financial ruin due to healthcare costs. It covers the full continuum of essential health services, from health promotion to prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care across the life course”.
The Health commissioner described UHC as an indispensable pillar for sustainable development, saying that Nigeria and specifically Kwara state has made significant strides in expanding health insurance, strengthening primary healthcare, and improving access for vulnerable groups.
She, however, said that challenges like funding constraints and workforce shortages persist.
“Key measures for current direction for UHC in Nigeria include strengthening primary healthcare, expanding health insurance coverage, leveraging technology, fostering public-private partnerships, and mitigating catastrophic health expenditures through financial protection mechanisms”.
She also said that mandatory and easy registration procedure would improve the number of enrollees.
Dr. El-Imam said that the Kwara state government is working towards achieving the 15 per cent target of the state’s budget to health sector, capacity building and retention of best hands amidst global demands.
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