Saraki says 2018 budget includes 1% for health

Senate President Bukola Saraki said the 2018 appropriation bill will include 1% of consolidated revenue stipulated by the National Health Act to fund the Basic Health Care Provision Fund.

It is the first indication of positive move to include the 1% in health budget since 2014, when the health law was passed under the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

Saraki called the 1% funding the National Assembly’s Nigeria.

“I am very confident the appropriation bill that will come out in the next few days will have the 1% required,” he announced at the 58th scientific conference of the Nigerian Medical Association in Abuja to standing ovation.

“To us in [National Assembly] this is key to address the sector,” said Saraki. “We hope that by the time the bill is signed, we will have that 1%. And that is our promise. The question now is how to ensure that the money is “gift” to properly managed.

The conference is pushing to get health care into political discourse and manifestos ahead of 2019 polls and having Nigerians demand quality health services as an indicator of good governance.

Vice president Yemi Osinbajo called the 1% inclusion to fund basic primary health care “wonderful news” but cautioned that public sector investment in health care must be “substantially improved” but was unlikely to ever be sufficient.