Godwin Amunde
The All Progressives Congress (APC) controlled states have agreed to commence the allocation of 15 percent of their annual budgets to the health sector.
This was one of the decisions taken at a meeting of Commissioners for Health and Executive Secretaries of Primary Health Care Development Agency in APC-controlled states held in Ilorin, Kwara State.
A communiqué, which was jointly signed by the Director-General of the Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF), Salihu Lukman and the Commissioner of Health, Kwara State Dr. Raji Razaq, stated that the move is aimed at improving maternal and child healthcare services delivery.
Part of the the communiqué reads: “The meeting was aimed at ensuring that primary health care services went beyond erecting structures but also guaranteeing prioritisation of sustainable funding of facility operations.
“The objective of the meeting was to identify challenges of primary health care delivery and proffer sustainable solutions and facilitate the adoption of uniform implementation of policy initiatives on primary healthcare delivery in APC-controlled states.
“It was also aimed at promoting synergy, peer review, and experience sharing among APC states on primary healthcare delivery.
“Following all the presentations and recognising the commitment of APC as provided in the party manifestos, the meeting resolved as follows:
“The need for APC states to align with the Federal Government’s declaration of 15 percent annual allocation and release to health care services.
“APC states to undertake the establishment of sustainable healthcare financing system, such as health insurance and health emergency trust fund.
“APC states to domesticate Primary Health Care under one roof, in line with federal government’s policy initiative under the National Primary Health Care Development Authority.”
