Posted by Governments around the world have been urged to implement long-term strategies for financing the healthcare system so that strikes can be avoided in the future.
According to the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), novel and alternative approaches are needed to address significant funding and human resource concerns in Nigeria’s health sector if there is to be industrial harmony in the sector.
The director of CSJ, Eze Onyekpere, took the helm at a workshop in Abuja titled “Innovative and Alternative Funding of the Health Sector” to address issues such as rising inflation, the removal of fuel subsidies, exchange rate unification, inadequate funding, and the pressing need for the full implementation of the National Health Insurance Authority Act.
The Center for Social Justice (CSJ) proposed a wide range of reforms to Nigeria’s healthcare system in order to improve both access and quality for all citizens.
The session was hosted by the Center for Social Justice as part of USAID’s “Strengthening Civic Advocacy and Local Engagement” programme.
The project’s goals include increasing responsibility for public health sector spending and fostering a culture of respect for current laws and procedures.
In light of these difficulties, the healthcare industry was asked to advocate for increased financing and greater access to existing funds.
Onyekpere argues that the only way to bring down Nigerians’ astronomically expensive medical bills is for the National Health Insurance Authority Act to be put into practice. The goal is universal health care, and NHIA will be important in getting us there. There has to be more openness and efficiency in the use of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund. More resources need to be allocated to service provision for the poorest of the poor.
Participants at the workshop advocated for more allocations to social health insurance to cover at-risk populations, as well as for the optimisation of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) and the maintenance of openness regarding its administration.
Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMG-MAN) Executive Secretary Frank Muonemeh said that the pharmaceutical manufacturers were working with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to ensure essential medicines are made available to citizens under health insurance, but he urged the government to demonstrate more political will and commitment to addressing the health challenges faced by the citizenry.
The session also highlighted the significance of creating a Health Development Bank of Nigeria to provide funds for health facilities and equipment. The report also stressed the importance of preventing the loss of talent in the health industry by bolstering human resources.
There have been proposals for the Minister of Health to provide the President and the National Assembly with an annual report on the state of health in order to increase openness and accountability. A plea for consistent release and open access to information regarding the BHCPF’s operations was also made.
The workshop emphasized the importance of civil society, funders, and the National Council on Health working together to implement peer review and benchmarking exercises centered on health sector strategic goals.
Attendees of the workshop proposed a number of solutions to the most pressing problems and ways to increase funding for health care. To realize the right to health for all Nigerians, they stressed the significance of creative finance options, accountability mechanisms, and smart investments in health infrastructure and human resources.
It is hoped that the workshop’s findings would be used to shape policy and usher in a new era of health care excellence in Nigeria.