Nigeria has disbursed N32 billion from the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) to improve healthcare services, disease control measures, primary healthcare funding, and emergency medical treatment.
The disbursement will be spread across states and local governments, including more than 8,000 primary healthcare centers in the country.
It will also effectualise access to healthcare services for the vulnerable that include women and children and improve response to disease outbreaks.
“It will fund the national ambulance scheme and emergency medical treatment, as well as, enhance the capacity of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to prevent and respond to disease outbreaks”, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Ali Pate said at the 10th Ministerial Oversight Committee (MOC) meeting in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja.
While acknowledging existing funding gap, Prof. Pate said only $2 million was gotten from international donors but, remained undaunted that treatment for TB, malaria and HIV/AIDS interventions will continue.
He admitted the availability of commodities in warehouses, and a waiver by the United States government to aid in treatment but, said Nigeria must through local content, accelerate its procurement processes.
“However, we may also have to procure from countries with economic conditions similar to ours rather than relying entirely on external funding”, the Minister said.
The 10th MOC dwelt on reviewing healthcare financing strategies for an efficient healthcare sector. It also witnessed the approval of a revised guideline for the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) for an equitable and sustained distribution of healthcare funding.
The funds are planned for distribution to health agencies that include the National Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System (NEMSAS), the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).