NPHCDA Decries Poor Primary Healthcare Funding

CHANNELS TV

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) has blamed inadequate funding of the health sector on the poor primary healthcare services in Nigeria.

The Acting Director of NPHCDA, Emmanuel Odu, made the criticism at the 2016 annual primary healthcare lecture in Abuja, organised to discuss sustainable financing options for the sector.

Mr Odu stressed the effects of poor funding for the health sector on primary healthcare services in Nigeria, revealing that over 70% of Nigeria’s health funding comes from donor partners, tax revenues and ‘out of pocket’ spending by the individuals.

Also, a representative of the Northern Traditional Rulers at the forum and Emir of Jiwa, Idris Musa, explained how the lack of funding for primary healthcare had affected their communities.

The Director of Public Health at the Federal Ministry of Health, Evelin Ngige, who spoke on behalf the Minister of Health, confirmed the poor monetary allocation to the health sector.

She, however, assured the people of the government’s determination to provide more funding going forward.

The Global Vaccine Alliance, otherwise known as Gavi, has provided much funding for primary healthcare service in Nigeria.

The decision of the organisation to stop the funding of vaccines in Nigeria by 2017 has raised serious concern about how the Federal Government would make up for the funding gap that the exit of Gavi and other donor partners would create.

Out of the 6.08 trillion Naira 2016 budget, 221.7 was earmarked to fund the health sector.

This is a far cry from the 15% of Nigeria’s budget agreed by African leaders at the Abuja Declaration in 2001 to be committed to the health sector.