Modupe Gbadeyanka
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
All eyes are now on ONE Campaign for the release of its State of Primary Healthcare Service Delivery in Nigeria report on Tuesday, July 19, 2022, in Abuja.
The report is being packaged in partnership with National Advocates for Health, Nigeria Health Watch, and the Public & Private Development Centre (PPDC).
It is a comprehensive report of the status of implementation of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) across states in Nigeria and is aimed at stimulating interest from critical stakeholders to improve the overall primary healthcare delivery in Nigeria.
“We expect that the report’s release on July 19 will ignite action amongst stakeholders and impact the needed change and increase access to primary healthcare services across Nigeria.
“In our opinion, the conclusions of this study will spur more action to improve health care in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
“Despite the difficulties, it is not impossible for states to improve their health outcomes. Nigerians’ access to and use of health care will be greatly improved with a firm commitment and swift action from all relevant parties,” the Country Director for Nigeria at the ONE Campaign, Stanley Achonu, remarked.
Also, ONE Campaign’s Executive Director for Africa, Edwin Ikhuoria, while commenting, described primary healthcare as “the cornerstone of health systems resilience.”
According to him, “Strengthening the primary healthcare system is essential to preparing for future pandemics, as we have just observed with COVID-19.”
“It has been eight years since the National Health Act was passed and four years since BHCPF was activated in Nigeria to address the shortage of primary healthcare services, yet the BHCPF’s utilization and implementation remain below expectations.
“This exacerbates Nigeria’s vulnerability, and unless it is addressed, the country will remain open to future shocks of unprecedented magnitude,” Ikhuoria added.
On her part, the Managing Director of Nigeria Health Watch, Vivianne Ihekweazu, said her organisation has been working with ONE and other partners to support this “important assessment of states primary healthcare provision and we are excited about putting this report in the public domain to serve as essential evidence for advocacy.”
For the Program Manager at Public & Private Development Centre, Akubuo Onumonu Nonye, fixing Nigeria’s healthcare system today is critical, as access to foreign medical care is useless without a stable state of health in Nigeria.
