Experts task FG on COVID-19, health security expenditure report
Experts and other critical stakeholders working in the health sector have called on the Federal Ministry of Health and Federal Ministry of Finance to publish the 2020, 2021 and 2022 COVID-19 and Health security expenditure reports. A statement from the Africa Health Budget Network (AHBN), said the experts made the call in Lagos during a […]
Nigeria’s healthcare financing
Experts and other critical stakeholders working in the health sector have called on the Federal Ministry of Health and Federal Ministry of Finance to publish the 2020, 2021 and 2022 COVID-19 and Health security expenditure reports.
A statement from the Africa Health Budget Network (AHBN), said the experts made the call in Lagos during a two–day retreat.
It was organized by AHBN to review draft national and states scorecards on Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent and Elderly Health Plus Nutrition (RMNCAEH+N) and COVID-19 and Health Security Accountability.
The statement signed by Dr. Aminu Magashi Garba Coordinator, AHBN quoted the experts as saying there is need to strengthen the national financing mechanism, and multi-sectoral collaboration for health security including COVID-19 recovery as a response to public health emergencies.
The stakeholders recommended that in line with the ‘One Health Strategy’, the Nigerian government should strengthen coordinated surveillance systems in the animal health and public health sectors for zoonotic diseases/pathogens identified as joint priorities.
Other recommendations by the stakeholders include: the federal government should support states in strengthening state crisis communication team and community involvement for factual public information on COVID-19 that will increase uptake of vaccine; Federal government should ensure availability of COVID-19 vaccines to all the 36 states including Federal Capital Territory, and also support poor performing states to increase vaccine uptake and reduce hesitancy, among others.
Dr. Mohammed Abbas, Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Bayero University, Kano said it is worrisome that 60 per cent of infectious diseases come from zoonotic sources.
“This calls for urgent attention by the federal government to ensure the availability of coordinated surveillance systems in the animal and public health sectors for zoonotic diseases/ pathogens,” he said.