Experts laud heath care financing project

The Nigeria Health Care Financing (HCF) Technical Assistance (TA) Project has improved the implementation of the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF) and budgeting process across the country, experts have said.

They stated this in Abuja during the close-out meeting of the first phase of the programme which is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and implemented by the Results for Development  (R4D) Nigeria office.

Dr Hope Uweja, Country Director, (R4D), said the first phase of the programme improved access to universal health coverage, health financing reforms,  expanded access to primary healthcare in states, and secured mobilisation of funds directly to facilities.

 He said the initiative leveraged the National Health Act that made provision for the BHCPF and enabled the federal government to provide a minimum healthcare package for the poor and vulnerable persons.

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He said the project had enabled the BHCPF to be well managed and operated, adding that “it is to the extent that you can now determine the number of beneficiaries from that project and also look at how value could be gotten in terms of the result for money.”

He said the project’s second phase would work to cascade funds from the national level to the state level and build sustainable strategic health purchasing strategy to improve performance through tracking of funds allocation.

The Director-General of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Professor Mohammed Sambo, who was represented by John Okoh, General Manager, Finance and Administration, NHIA, said the relationship between the organisation, R4D and other partners, with support of BMGF, had facilitated the strengthening of institutional capacity for monitoring and evaluation, as well as financial management systems.

 Dr Chery Cashin, Global Director, R4D, said Nigeria had made significant strides in achieving universal health coverage. 

She said the country must be intentional in learning how to overcome challenges, adding that it would enable the country to effectively implement health reform policies to improve  health outcomes for Nigerians.

Associate Programme Director, R4D, Felix Abrahams Obi, said a sense of urgency was required to exponentially expand coverage of financial risk protection and access to essential services in Nigeria.

Highlights of the event were the presentation of awards to government agencies and other organisations for their collaboration and support in the implementation of the programme.