FG budgets $180m for primary health care

 

The Federal Government has allocated $180 million for primary healthcare  revitalization in the 2018 budget. In addition, the World Bank’s support to Nigeria for primary healthcare within same period is put at $20 million, while the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is also complementing with a sum of $2 million.

Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole announced the figures  while addressing a meeting of representatives of Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunisation (GAVI) and other stakeholders held in Dakar, Senegal.

 

Adewole explained that government’s budget was a practical demonstration of its commitment to financing its ambitious project for the revitalization of the country’s primary healthcare system.

He gave the assurance that government would ensure direct flow of resources to health facilities at the grass root level, embark on necessary infrastructural facilities, procure health commodities and guarantee incentives for the health workers.

The minister reiterated Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring 10 percent increase each year in Nigeria funding of immunization as already pledged to GAVI.

He commended the GAVI Governing Board for extension of its exit in financing of immunisation in Nigeria by ten years ending in 2028.

Adewole highlighted long list of Nigeria achievements on immunization including putting an end to data falsification, declaration of state of public concern on Routine Immunisation, drastic increase in the National coverage of routine immunization from 33% in 2016 survey to 56 percent, six months offer introduction of a new strategy and putting in place a tracking strategy to ensure every child in the country is fully immunized against vaccine preventable diseases.

The minister disclosed that with the introduction of the National Routine Emergency Coordinating Centre NERICC at the National level, Its replication at State and Local Government levels in all the 18 low-performing states and current synergy between Federal and other levels of Government and all Development partners, the national target of 80% coverage in immunization would be achieved at the end of the new transition period of 2028 set by the GAVI Governing Board.

Recall that the GAVI Governing Board announced an un-precedented extension of GAVI transition in Nigeria by 10 years ending in 2028 with additional funding of over one billion dollars.