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The Federal and State Governments have been urged to increase access to universal health coverage scheme for all categories of citizens and ensure quality healthcare delivery.
This was the consensus of stakeholders at a one day meeting on “Using Local Strategies and Structures to Boost Universal Health Coverage,” organised by a non governmental organization, Women in Global Health, Nigeria in partnership with the Kwara State Ministry of Health, in Ilorin.
Addressing journalists at the event, the Project Officer, Universal Health Coverage for Women in Global Health, Nigeria, Dr Sienne Oluwatosin Orogun, noted that there are established policies geared towards making health insurance available and affordable to vulnerable persons in the society, however, effective implementation of the policies, remains a challenge.
Dr Orogun suggested strengthening of Primary Healthcare Centers to meet the health needs of communities, formalization of employment status of casual workers in the health sector and improved security at the PHCs to ensure that employees, particularly women, work without fear.
She called for equitable opportunities to capacity building trainings and strategic positioning of women in the health sector for leadership roles.
Earlier in a keynote address, the Kwara State Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina El-Imam pointed out that sensitization campaign, mandatory and easy registration procedure would improve the number of enrollees for universal health coverage.
Dr El-Imam said it was time the Federal and States Government began allocation of fifteen percent of their annual budgets to the health sector as agreed at the Abuja Declaration on health.
She affirmed that Kwara State already achieved ten percent allocation and is working to build capacity of health professionals , strengthen PHCs and retain the best hands in the health sector, amidst global demands, through attractive renumeration.
“Universal Health Coverage, UCH, is an indispensable pillar for sustainable development. Nigeria and specifically Kwara has made significant strides in expanding health insurance, strengthening primary healthcare, and improving access for vulnerable groups, but challenges like funding
constraints and workforce shortages persist.
“Current direction for UHC in Nigeria include strengthening primary healthcare, expanding health insurance coverage, leveraging technology, fostering public-private cue partnerships, and mitigating catastrophic health expenditure through financial protection mechanisms.”
In a remark, the Executive Secretary of Kwara Health Insurance Agency, Dr Olubunmi Jetawo-Winter, said that so far, sixty-four thousand persons have been enrolled under the state universal health coverage and that efforts are on to increase the data base through continuous sensitization and establishment of enrollment centers at the grassroots.
In separate remarks, the State Coordinator, World Health Organization, WHO, Dr Emmanuel Eyitayo; Professor of Public Health, Tanimola Akande; and Dr Malik Abdulraheem of the Kwara State Hospital Management Board, mentioned the importance of gender inclusivity in the health sector, revitalization of PHCs to attain universal health coverage and affordable care.
Ilorin/Rasheedat Iliyas
