FG to harmonise strategies for universal health coverage

The Federal Government says it is harmonising its strategic Health Development Healthcare Plan in order to achieve Universal Health Coverage for Nigerians.

This is contained in a statement signed by Mrs Ayotunde Adesugba, Director Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Health, in Abuja on Thursday.

The statement quoted the Permanent Secretary, Mr Linus Awute, saying that the measure is to guarantee equity in ensuring that poor rural dwellers have access to affordable and reliable healthcare.

It said the government would bring the principle of equity into healthcare by ensuring that rural poor have access to affordable and reliable healthcare through Universal Health Coverage.

According to the statement, the plan will be driven by the community-based Social Health Insurance Programme (CBSHIS) and the Voluntary Contributor Social Health Insurance Programme (VSHIP) which has been launched by the Ministry.

“We are going to achieve Universal Health Coverage, not only through the normal statutory budget fund but by effective internal domestic resource mobilisation.

“The domestic resource mobilisation will be driven by Social Health Insurance Programme and Voluntary Contributor Social Health Insurance Programme, we urge the State Governments to key into it to accelerate the process,’’ the statement said.

The statement said Nigeria is set to build a robust and resilient National Health System that will benefit the country in many ways.
According to the statement, the health sector has started to feel the positive impact of the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to the United States of America (USA).

“There are emerging new partnership undertakings between key agencies of the United States and other global organisations who are now keying into the programme of the Nigeria Health Sector.

“Among the key elements of the bilateral relationship between USA and Nigeria is International Health Security for which Nigeria’s scorecard has been rated very high in the Global Community,’’ said the statement.

It said that the most recent legacies are the records of Nigeria on Disease Emergency Response and Containment.

Others are eradication of Guinea Worm, the Ebola Virus Disease and the interruption of transmission of Wild Polio Virus.