FCTA spends N7.9bn on healthcare delivery in 2018

The FCT Administration has revealed that about N7.9 billion has been spent on healthcare delivery in 2018 in the territory. Secretary of the FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat, Adamu Abubakar Bappah, made this known during his end of year press briefing in Abuja. Bappah said the administration has also developed a 4-year Strategic Health […]

The FCT Administration has revealed that about N7.9 billion has been spent on healthcare delivery in 2018 in the territory.

Secretary of the FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat, Adamu Abubakar Bappah, made this known during his end of year press briefing in Abuja.

Bappah said the administration has also developed a 4-year Strategic Health Development Plan (SHDP) that would require about N162 billion to execute.

The “FCT Strategic Health Development Plan (SHDP) 2018-2022 has been developed, and will provide policy and pragmatic directives for the FCT health sector for the next five years,” he stated.

Bappa said the strategic blueprint would be sourced from budgetary allocations, Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from health services, international donors such as the World Health Organisation (WHO), United States Department for International Development (USAID) and the United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF), among others.

Highlighting major achievements of the secretariat in 2018, Bappa revealed that N200 million was spent on recapitalisation of the Drug Revolving Fund; N1.3 billion spent on drugs and medical supplies distributed to various FCT hospitals; and N2.5 billion on commodities for the control of HIV. He said the secretariat also established Public Health Emergency Operation Centre with support from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control; is funding of ongoing construction of 12 primary health centres and 12 solar powered boreholes in the six area councils.

Other achievements he listed were the public health laboratory for routine screening for food handlers and the construction and equipping of the 220 bed Gwarinpa District Hospital, which is at 30 percent completion stage.

“The secretariat also recorded increase in the coverage of mother to child HIV transmission from 36.7 to 81.1 percent, immunization coverage from 63.4 to 80.5 percent, increased distribution of mosquito treated nets from 16.5 to 36 percent and distributed over N1.3 billion worth of drugs to FCTA hospitals,” he added.

He further stated the the administration constructed 4-bed  primary health centres (PHCs) in Gaube,  Kuje area council, renovated PHCs in Jikoko, Cumi and Ayaura in Abaji area council, constructed cold store – fitted with direct drive solar refrigerators in Apo – among others.

Bappa, however, lamented that the secretariat was confronted with challenges such as funding, epidemics, understaffing, delayed budgetary releases and overstretched amenities.