Mismanagement, Late Budget, Deficit Factor, Others, Bane of UHC

Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

Factors mitigating the full and total spread of the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) has been attributed to mismanagement, late budget, deficit factor as well as existential challenges in the current health budget.

Others are access to healthcare, inadequate knowledge to rights of patients, inability of state government to provide consolidated revenue and misplaced priority among others.

This was disclosed by some panel of discussants during the inaugural Francis and Felicia Umenyi Memorial Lecture and roundtable discussion themed “Peoples’ right to quality healthcare” and with sub theme, “improving access to quality healthcare”.

Director, FCT health insurance scheme, Dr. Ahmed Danfulani, in his submission, said most of the challenges being faced in the healthcare delivery in the FCT has to do with the involvement of the informal sectors.

He added that while information is power, many Nigerians do not seek to know about rights in healthcare services delivery.

“Nigerians are not too bothered. There is a need to conscientise people about a right they do not know they have. People not working with the government are not accessing the ones already established? It can only be through legislation. It should be made compulsory at state level.

“In Nigeria, smelly, small dilapidated building is synonymous to Primary Healthcare Centre. Check out what you have in other countries. Access to Basic Healthcare isn’t there.

” Everybody must be willing to ask questions. We must ask our leaders questions. Until we do that, Universal Health Coverage will continue to be a mirage in Nigeria.

Another discussant, Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission, Anthony Ojukwu, said good legislation and prompt implementation will serve as one key factor towards facilitating the UHC.

He added that it is a misplaced priority to think that government can settle everything, adding that health issues are not just for those in the health space as healthcare is a right and not a privilege.

“The National Health Act makes Basic Health Care free and one percent consolidated revenue is used to sponsor this.

“Many states are yet to respond to the equity funding expected to consolidate the one percent funding for health. With good legislation and prompt implementation, the mirage of UHC will be a thing of the past.

“So far, there is no discrimination between government and non government employees, and may at the rural areas are enjoying free healthcare services.

“It is a misplaced priority to think that government can settle everything. Health issues are not just for those in the health space. Healthcare is a right and not a privilege.

“Shortage of personnel in the healthcare system. What is there is the negligence of the personal available.”

In her remarks, the Executive Director of the Foundation, Dr. Chito Umenyi Nwana, said the foundation was set up in memory of an extraordinary couple who dedicated their lives to lend a hand wherever they found a need.

She said, “We grew up always watching them reach out to people and I always remember that my mum will always put others before herself and it was something that we all grew into.

“When the outreach started, my mum was still alive and she was always excited, so when she passed on it occurred to me that this foundation must be the first thing that I and my siblings would do to keep her legacy going.”