Medical bodies demand upward review of El-Rufai’s budget for health

As the Kaduna State House of Assembly begins work on the N155bn 2019 budget estimates submitted to it by Governor Nasir El-Rufai, implementing partners of

Partnership For Advocacy in Child and Family Health (PACFaH) have demanded for upward review of the health budget.

The PACFaH partners, Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria (APHPN) and Society for Gynaecologists and Obstetricians of Nigeria (SOGON) during an advocacy visit to the assembly said, the 2019 budget estimate shows a significant decrease of N170 million in Routine Immunization and N210 million in Maternal and New Born Child Health from the 2018 budget.

Chairman of APHPN in Kaduna State, Dr Muhammed Sani Ibrahim and 1st Vice President of SOGON, Dr Habib Sadauki in their presentations before the state assembly committee on health however demanded for increase in the health budget for four thematic areas of family planning, routine immunization, primary healthcare under one roof, maternal and born child health and

According to the medical practitioners, “We are here at the Kaduna State House of Assembly to advocate for health issues, particularly that this is the time for budgeting. We have looked at the indices for Kaduna State, therefore we are here to advocate for more funding in five thematic areas.

“The thematic areas area: routine immunization for our children under the age of five. The five killer diseases like, pneumonea and diarrhoea; primary healthcare under one roof and also family planning for the mothers. Those are the areas we are here to talk to you about.

“In the last three years, there has been improvement in the budget, but if you look at what is expected as target to reach for the various indices like the routine immunization for children against major preventable killer diseases of children, they are not yet on national target of 80 per cent. So, for that, there is need for more money.

“And if you at the target for family planning, Kaduna State government has committed itself to 46.5 per cent coverage, but at the moment, they are at 24 per cent. And the budget proposed for this year is much less than what was allocated in the last two years.

Read Also: El-Rufai presents N155b budget to Kaduna Assembly

“So, where are here to advocate to you to look into that, because if we want to safe our mothers, children under the age of 5 and also improve the functions of our primary healthcare centres, we need a lot of more money. And not only just the money, we need you to perform your oversight function, to ensure that the money allocated is released on time and used appropriately.” The NGOs stressed.

Responding on behalf of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Chairman House Committee on Health, Hon. Isaac Auta Zankhai assured that the assembly will close the identified gaps.

He assured the NGOs of Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s commitment to healthcare especially as it concerns women and children, adding that, the first health bill the assembly received were an executive bill from El-Rufai led executive.

While noting that, the major challenge confronting the health budget was the dwindling economy, Hon. Zankhai promised that the identified will be closed.

“Economic challenge is a major factor responsible for the budget shortfall, but we will continue within our financial strength to ensure that, our women and children don’t have to suffer or die unnecessary.” He assured.

 

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