THISDAY Summit on Universal Health Coverage, Timely, Says Tejuoso
Moeti: Nigeria, others should honour pledges towards UHC
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Senator Lanre Tejuoso, has stated that the 2nd THISDAY Healthcare Policy Dialogue, tagged: ‘The Journey to Universal Health Coverage in Nigeria’ is timely, as the National Assembly has intensified efforts for the implementation of the Basic Healthcare Provisions Fund (BHCPF) for all Nigerians.
The BHCPF is a fund allocation to cater for the basic health needs of all Nigerians, with a minimum of one per cent provision by government as stipulated in the 2014 National Health Act.
Tejuoso said the National Assembly is about concluding the passage of the 2018 national budget, but that if it doesn’t reflect the one per cent of the consolidated revenue fund for health, the country would be sending a wrong signal to development partners.
“If we don’t do this, it means we are not encouraging development partners that have spent more than that over the past years. We cannot surrender our health financing to foreign friends,” he added.
He said the implementation for 2018 would mean a minimum of about N45 billion would be set aside in this year’s national budget for BHCPF.
According to him, this is why the health summit, organised by THISDAY Newspapers is coming at the right time since the passage of the national budget is around the corner, adding that the event would afford policy makers and healthcare stakeholders the opportunity to chat a way forward for universal health coverage for the citizens.
The high level policy dialogue will hold Thursday 12th April at the Congress Hall, Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja by 10am.
The Summit, which is the second in a series of healthcare policy dialogues organised by THISDAY, will be headlined by the Director General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghabreyaesus and the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole headlining it.
The first edition, with the theme: Healthcare Financing, was held Tuesday March 6th 2018 in Abuja, and it recorded a huge success as it drew quality participation and came up with some far reaching conclusions that are currently being discussed at the highest level of government in the country.
This second edition, which draws on the success of the first, is particularly relevant as Nigeria sets into motion its Universal Health Coverage aspirations with the launch of the BHCPF under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
This high level policy dialogue will bring together policy makers, including members of the Federal Executive Council, parliamentarians, development partners, including bi-and multi lateral institutions, entire senior leadership of the WHO, healthcare practitioners, civil society organisations, private sector leaders, media think-tanks, academia, institutions involved in financing and delivering healthcare – banks, HMOs, MFIs & insurance companies, and members of the public.
The WHO DG will be accompanied to the event by the entire senior leadership of the WHO, including the African Regional Director of WHO, Dr. Matshidiso Rebecca Moeti (the first woman to hold such position).
Ghabreyaesus will use the occasion to launch the logo and beneficiary identification card for the Basic Health Care Provision Fund of the National Health Act
He will also be hosted at a high-level experience sharing event by the Nigerian government as the country has set in motion its universal health coverage aspirations with the launching of the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund of the National Health Act under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhariof Health.
Other speakers at the THISDAY Summit include Country Director, World Bank Nigeria, Rachid Benmassoud, CEO Dangote Foundation, Rachid Benmassoud, Minister of State for Health, Osagie Ehanire, Representative of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Paulin Basinga, Representative of United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Mohammed Malick Fall, Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, Representative of United Nations Populations Fund, (UNFPA), Diene Kieta, and Senior Rep & Mission Chief, International Monetary Fund (IMF), Amine Mati.