39
T H I S D AY THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2016
HEALTH
15% Budgetary Allocation to Health is Ripe, Says Expert Kuni Tyessi, in Abuja The Chairman, National Immunisation Financing Task Team, Dr. Ben Anyene, has described the allocation of 4.5 per cent of annual national budget to health sector as grossly inadequate to cater for the health needs of the populace, and has insisted that 15 per cent of the budget for the sector is ripe. Anyene, alongside other stakeholders, made the call in Abuja at a road walk to commemorate the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Day marked globally with the theme ‘Act with Ambition’. Anyene, who was the former Chairman, Board of Trustee, Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria (HERFON), described the UHC initiative as health for all, adding that the government should give priority to its implementation through the existing legal framework like the National Health Act, among others The doctor, who described making policy without its implementation as baseless, said that giving full health to Nigerians would prevent health challenges. He said that the masses who were faced with diverse health challenge could not survive with such meagre allocation, neither could the health of Nigerians.
Anyene noted that Nigeria in conjunction with other African Heads of State made the commitment 15 years ago. According to him, the commitment to allocate 15 per cent of their annual budget to health has not been implemented by the Nigerian government till date. “What we are saying is do the necessary things, these things are not undoable, if Rwanda among others can give UHC to their people, I do not see why Nigeria cannot give such to its people. “You cannot fund the health of Nigerians with about 4.3 or 4.5 per cent of National Health budget, it is not possible. If you realise that preventive health is better than cure and promotional health is even more interesting but these things have to be done because there is no point making these policies and putting them on the shelves,’’ Anyene said. Meanwhile, the representative of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Henry Ewunonu, also urged the government to do everything possible to capture all provisions of National Health Act in next year’s budget. Ewunonu emphasised that the Act stipulated that no Nigerian should suffer financial hardship just because of ill-health or wanting to access healthcare services.
“Universal Health Coverage is about not incurring serious financial hardship by the sick, we want to get better; it is not our fault that people get sick instead it is because of certain inactions or errors of
omission and commission of those in power. “People have accident and become crippled for life because our roads are not good, people contact TB because our housing is poor, people
suffer malnutrition because they cannot buy food. And the moment they now fall sick, they are sentenced to death, so we appeal to government to implement the legal instrument like the
National Health Act in the 2017 budget. “It provides that at least one per cent of the consolidated revenue fund be allocated to basic healthcare provision fund in the 2017 budget,’’ he said.
FOR MATERNAL/CHILD HEALTH
L-R: Staff, Options UK, Camille Thomas; MamaYe Heroine Awardee/Executive Director, Child Health Advocacy Initiative, Mrs. Lola Alonge; MamaYe Hero Awardee/Medical Director, Lagos Island Hospital, Dr. Donald Imoiseme and Country Director, MamaYe Nigeria, Dr. Tunde Segun, at the launch of MamaYe Campaign and Award Presentation in Lagos ...recently
Improve on PPP, Health Insurance Scheme, HCPAN Urges Governments 2017 Budget Allocation: Groups GSK, Experts Call for Proper Martins Ifijeh Health sector is another integral part of the Nigeria system that needs more attention. As an important element of national security, public health not only functions to provide adequate and timely medical care but also track, monitor, and control disease outbreak. In the last few years, the sector has been getting little or no attention from all levels of government, as the budget allocated to the sector continue to fall below 5.0 per cent. This however, shows Nigeria has a lot to do in improving its health system and making healthcare affordable and accessible to the millions of Nigerians who are not getting the health services they require. As a way of addressing this, Healthcare Provider Association of Nigeria (HCPAN) has called on the federal, state and local governments to embrace the Private Public Partnership (PPP), while putting modus on ground for a better universal health coverage for the citizens. Speaking at the group’s 12th Annual General Meeting/Scientific Conference, tagged: “Achieving Universal Health Coverage in Economic Recession, and the Way Forward”the National President of the Association, Dr. Umar Oluwole Sanda said with the economic recession experienced in the country,
it was becoming difficult for Nigerians to pay for their health bills, adding that health insurance must be strengthened to provide palliatives for the citizens. “One of the ways in achieving this is through a PPP model that will work. 70 per cent of the providers are in the private sectors. The government is in charge of health, so healthcare providers in the private sector have to be used to push the brand. How many general hospital do you see in Lagos State? How many teaching hospital do you see? Government cannot do it alone, so they have to partner with the private sector, which is the only way to grow in order to reduce bad health indices for Nigerians,” he added. Meanwhile, the former Commissioner for Health, Lagos State, Dr. Leke Pitan called on Nigerian medical experts abroad to give a lending hand in the revamping of the country’s health sector, adding that with the economic recession, it was time to look inwards, as the situation was also affecting the health sector. Presenting a model, he said, “the present administration needs to get pragmatic about health and engage in PPP. They should not see the engagement as a help to the private sector but as partners. There should be a PPP unit either in state or at federal level, which must lure the private sector.”
Commend FG on Increase in Management of Asthma Capital Health Projects Kasim Sumaina in Abuja One Campaign, and Connected Development (CODE) have commended the federal government for increasing the 2017 budgetary allocation in the health sector that was recently presented before the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari. The group hinted that while it applauded the budget increase in capital health projects as a step in the right direction, it was urging the government to lay more emphasis on primary health care delivery and fighting malnutrition so as to alleviate suffering amongst the citizens particularly the poor and those in the North-east who were mostly affected by poverty. This was contained in a statement signed by One Campaign Country Representative, Mr. Edwin Ikhouria and made available to the media recently in Abuja. According to Ikhouria, “the increase in health allocations announced in the budget is progress and should be welcomed. Putting more money into Nigeria’s health will not only boost the economy but will change people’s lives, particularly the poor, who are living in dire circumstances especially during this recession “Only by delivering on the commitment and building a
pathway towards spending 15 per cent on health as promised in the 2001 African Union Abuja Declaration, will government be poised to ending the health crisis in the country.” One Campaign further urged the government not to stop the momentum. “While we welcome the development as progress on health with increased investment, we further urged the government to invest more in the sector, specifically in primary healthcare to combat the health crisis facing the nation. “This momentum should not stop and we hope it continues to progress, by creating the Basic Health Care Provision Fund with a minimum of 1 per cent of the Consolidated Revenue Fund into health and fulfilling the promises made in the National Health Act.” Speaking in similar vein, Chief Executive Officer, Connected Development (CODE), Mr. Hamzat Lawal, said: “The 2017 budget presentation brings hope for citizens, mostly people in rural communities.” Hamzat stated that public healthcare investments remain key ingredient of development, poverty reduction strategy and human capital development. While pledging to support the government by working with the communities to ensure that moneys were actually spent well and transparently, he said,
Bearing in mind that asthma can be severe or fatal if not well managed, GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceutical Nigeria Ltd and health experts have called on asthmatics in Nigerians to ensure proper diagnosis and management, as this could help in reducing symptoms and death. Speaking during the official launch of the new Guidelines for the Management of Asthma in Lagos recently, the Chief Medical Director, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, Professor Wale Oke, said the burden of the disease and rate of deaths can be reduced through proper information relating to management of the condition. Stating that more emphasis was needed on the control, he said that “In the past, management and treatment of asthma was based on individual opinion, individual perception and sometimes even personal belief. Asthma was categorized according to the severity of its symptoms rather than how it could be controlled. What is desired is accurate, basic and balanced information to assist practitioners. “In developing countries like Nigeria, the severity of asthma is grossly underestimated,” adding that it was not surprising that the shift in treatment plan remains unimplemented. “The consequence of this is the persistent increase in
the mortality and morbidity among sufferers. This can be prevented,” he stated. He explained that in Nigeria, asthmatics continue to die from misdiagnosis, lack of management guidelines, stigmatisation and poor device use, adding that the situation, informed the decision to develop the management guidelines. Developed in collaboration with GSK Pharmaceutical Nigeria Limited, under its “Breathe Easy Project”, the guideline, first of its kind in Nigeria, is aimed at ensuring that no asthmatic dies as a result of their asthma. The Managing Director, GSK Pharma, Mr. Cesar Marval, said the whole essence of the guideline was to ensure the asthma was very well managed and does not get to the position where it becomes fatal “For us at GSK, this initiative is at the heart of our very existence. It aligns with our mission, which is to improve the quality of human lives, to help people do more, feel better and live longer. “Our commitment to improve asthma management and respiratory health is further demonstrated by the establishment of the GSK Breathe Easy Initiative. This initiative aims to help improve the appropriate diagnosis and management of asthma such as supporting the launch of this guideline,” Marval stated.