Coalition writes Buhari on increase in 2018 budget for health

In an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari last month, a coalition of civil society organisations, nongovernmental organisations and the media advocated an increase in allocation to healthcare in the 2018 budget. The group, Nigerian Health Sector Reform Coalition (HSRC), comprising Nigeria Medical Association and Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria among tens others, wants budgetary allocation to the health sector to reach 7.5% of total national budget.

If implemented, this advocacy will take the federal budgetary allocation for health in Nigeria to mid-way of the Abuja Declaration by African Heads of States that committed 15% of the annual country budget for health.

The total amount allocated to the health sector in the 2017 budget was N380 billion. This constitutes 5.1% of the national budget of N7.44 trillion.

The group said healthcare was the foundation of national security, economic growth and recovery plan. The open letter came one week after President Buhari resumed work from home, on his return from the UK where he spent 103 days in the latest round of seeking medical treatment abroad.