By Editor
In a bid to deliver qualitative health care services , the National Economic Council, on Thursday, approved plans to overhaul 17,000 and 774 primary and secondary healthcare centres, respectively, nationwide.
It said the move is in response to identified funding gaps and deteriorating healthcare metrics, as revealed by a presentation by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Ali Pate, to the council.
Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, disclosed the government’s plan to State House correspondents at the end of the National Economic Council meeting chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.
Mohammed said, “The presentation…dissected in terms of very robust sector scan on health, from the tertiary to the primary level, looking at all the gaps, the problems and challenges of funding.”
He lamented the statistics showing a decline in health indices, including infant mortality rates, stating that the Tinubu-led administration aims to establish a synergy among stakeholders for deep, lasting reforms.
Therefore, he announced that the scope of the renewal of the programme intends to “service 17,000 primary health centres to be put on a threshold of viability, 774 secondary facilities, that is hospitals, in addition to some tertiary institutions.”
This comprehensive plan is designed to “make sure medicare is brought close to most Nigerians,” Mohammed added.
On the source of funding,Mohammed revealed that “suggestions were made…that we could use some taxes from communication, from airlines, as well as our taxes from the state government” to bridge the financial gaps plaguing the healthcare system.
Highlighting the critical shortage of healthcare professionals, he also pointed out the “huge problem of human capitaland attrition of experts,” stressing the necessity of developing strategies to retain local talent.
The governor said, “Certainly, we have a huge problem of human capital and attrition of experts and the need to develop a strategy to retain our experts to care for our health sector.
“So the presentation is a robust compact that looked at all the problems and challenges of the health from the supervisory point of view, and even on the leadership level, from the presidency to the local governments and the need for us as governors, local government even media, to put interest in the health sector.”
According to the governor, the council’s resolution includes an upcoming compact agreement with the World Health Organisation on December 15, 2023, where “All the governors will come and sign a compact agreement in terms of service compact.”
