Health
NGO Calls on Governments to Emplace Sustainable Health Funding for Harmony in the Sector
NGO Calls on Governments to Emplace Sustainable Health Funding for Harmony in the Sector
By: Our Reporter
Governments across the country have been advised to put in place sustainable means of funding the health sector in order to put an end to incessant industrial action in the industry.
The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) said the only way to bring industrial harmony to the sector is by introducing innovative and alternative measures to address critical funding and human resource issues in Nigeria’s health sector.
At a workshop on “Innovative and Alternative Funding of the Health Sector” held in Abuja, CSJ’s Lead Director, Eze Onyekpere, led the charge in addressing rising inflation, the removal of fuel subsidy, exchange rate unification, poor funding, and the urgent need for the full implementation of the National Health Insurance Authority Act.
Proposing a comprehensive set of recommendations, CSJ asked for the revolution of the healthcare landscape, ensuring better access and quality healthcare for all Nigerians.
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The workshop was part of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded “Strengthening Civic Advocacy and Local Engagement” programme, implemented by CSJ. The project is aimed at enhancing respect for existing laws and policies while promoting transparency and accountability in the public health sector expenditure.
In the face of these challenges, the health sector was urged to make demands to ensure resources keep pace with inflation and to take advantage of new funding opportunities.
According to Onyekpere, “implementing the National Health Insurance Authority Act is vital for reducing high out-of-pocket health expenses in Nigeria. Universal Health Coverage is the goal, and NHIA will play a key role.” “The Basic Health Care Provision Fund needs better utilization and transparency. We must dedicate more funds for service delivery to benefit the poorest of the poor,” he added.
Workshop participants called for increased resources to social health insurance to cover vulnerable populations, as well as optimizing the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) and ensuring transparency in its management.
Executive Secretary, Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMG-MAN), Frank Muonemeh, said the pharmaceutical manufacturers were working with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to ensure essential medicines are made available to citizens under health insurance but called on government to show more political will and commitment to addressing the health challenges faced by the citizenry.
The workshop also emphasized the importance of implementing the National Health Insurance Authority Act and establishing a Health Development Bank of Nigeria with a focus on health infrastructure and equipment funding. It also highlighted the urgency of improving human resources for health and addressing the brain drain phenomenon in the sector.
To enhance transparency and accountability, calls were made for the Minister of Health to prepare and present an annual report on the state of health to the President and National Assembly. Additionally, transparency in the management of the BHCPF was stressed, with a call for regular publications and public access to information.
The workshop emphasized the need for collaboration between various stakeholders, including civil society, donors, and the National Council on Health, to introduce peer review and benchmarking exercises focused on strategic targets in the health sector.
Participants at the workshop provided a set of recommendations to address the critical challenges and improve funding in the health sector. They highlighted the importance of innovative funding solutions, accountability measures, and strategic investments in health infrastructure and human resources to achieve the right to health for all Nigerians.
The outcome of the workshop is expected to inform policy decisions and pave the way for a more robust and sustainable healthcare system in Nigeria.
NGO Calls on Governments to Emplace Sustainable Health Funding for Harmony in the Sector
Health
Korean Film Festival Returns to Nigeria After COVID-19 Break
Korean Film Festival Returns to Nigeria After COVID-19 Break
By: Michael Mike
The Korean Embassy in Nigeria has commenced the Korean Film Festival in Nigeria after it went on break during the CIVID-19 pandemic.
The latest edition is the 12th Edition of the festival and was hosted at the Silverbird Cinema, in Abuja between 19th September to 21st September 2024 with several movies screened.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Korean ambassador to Nigeria, Kim Pankyu, expressed delight with the return of the festival after it was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
He said: “I have come to deeply feel that South Korea and Nigeria share a strong cultural affinity, especially in their love for music and dance.
“Due to this cultural affinity, various elements, such as fashion and cuisine, along with music, are resonating in Nigeria.
“Particularly, there has been a significant surge in the spread of dramas and films.”
He added that: “Along with the global hit ‘Squid Game’ in 2021, the most-watched drama series on Netflix Nigeria in 2022 was ‘Alchemy of souls’.
“Thus, I have come to realise the importance of introducing Korean films to Nigeria, one of the world’s top 3 film-producing countries.”
Also speaking at the event, the Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture, Mr Obi Asika, said millions of Nigerians had fallen in love with K-pop [Korean music] and K-drama [Korean drama].
He said Nigeria would continue to learn from the Koreans to improve its entertainment industry.
Korean Film Festival Returns to Nigeria After COVID-19 Break
Health
New UNAIDS Report that Debt Crisis Has Left Health Chronically Underfunded in Africa
New UNAIDS Report that Debt Crisis Has Left Health Chronically Underfunded in Africa
By: Michael Mike
Growing public debt is choking sub-Saharan African countries, leaving them with little fiscal room to finance health and critical HIV services, a new report by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS).
The report said domestic revenues, debt relief and development aid: Transformative pathways for ending AIDS by 2030 Eastern and Southern Africa/ Western and Central Africa, shows that the debt crisis is putting in jeopardy progress made towards ending AIDS.
It added that sub-Saharan Africa accounts for the largest number of people living with HIV, with more than 25.9 million people of the 39.9 million living with HIV globally. The region’s success in having reduced new HIV infections by 56% since 2010 will not be sustained if fiscal space is constrained.
The report, released ahead of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, showed that the combination of growing public debt payments and spending cuts set out in International Monetary Fund agreements in the next three to five years will, if unaddressed, leave countries dangerously under resourced to fund their HIV responses.
The UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima said: “When countries cannot effectively look after the health care needs of their people because of debt payments, global health security is put at risk,” adding that: “Public debt needs to be urgently reduced and domestic resource mobilization strengthened to enable the fiscal space to fully fund the global HIV response and end AIDS.”
The report said debt servicing now exceeds 50% of government revenues in Angola, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zambia, adding that even after debt relief measures, Zambia will still be paying two-thirds of its budget on debt servicing between 2024 and 2026.
It said there has been a noted decline in HIV response spending since 2017 in Western and Central Africa, from 0.3% of GDP in 2017 to just 0.12% in 2022.
It said Western and Central Africa will need to mobilize US$ 4.18 billion to fully fund the HIV response in 2024. This will climb to US$ 7.9 billion by 2030 unless efforts are scaled up today to stop new HIV infections.
While US$ 20.8 billion was available for the HIV response in 2022 in low and middle-income countries through both domestic and international sources, this funding was not enough to sufficiently finance the HIV response. Western and Central Africa for example had a funding shortfall of 32% in 2022.
In 2024 alone, Eastern and Southern Africa will need to mobilize almost US$ 12 billion to fully fund the HIV response. This amount will climb to around US$ 17 billion by 2030 unless new HIV infections are reduced.
It said to enable increased domestic resource mobilization for countries to respond effectively to their pandemics, sub-Saharan African countries will need to strengthen their tax systems, including closing tax exemptions which currently cost countries an average of 2.6% of GDP in lost revenue across the region. Donors need also to scale up financial assistance for health and the HIV response between now and 2030, while creditors should offer debt relief to heavily indebted countries to ease the burden.
Byanyima said: “World leaders cannot let a resource crunch derail global progress to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.”
New UNAIDS Report that Debt Crisis Has Left Health Chronically Underfunded in Africa
Health
Flood in UMTH: Professor Ahidjo’s demonstrated leadership in emergencies
Flood in UMTH: Professor Ahidjo’s demonstrated leadership in emergencies
By Dr. James Bwala
The flooding in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State in northern Nigeria, has presented serious issues for the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH). The administration of the hospital has been putting a lot of effort into determining the extent of the impact as they prepare to put in place a comprehensive strategy to deal with these environmental issues and guarantee that medical care is provided as usual.
UMTH considers improving its infrastructure resilience to be one of its main tactics. In order to lessen water accumulation during future heavy rains, the hospital intends to improve the drainage systems surrounding its property. It also intends to participate in community outreach programs that educate locals about flood risks and promote preventive measures like proper waste disposal and land management techniques that can lessen the effects of flooding. Furthermore, UMTH has improved its alliances with both governmental and non-governmental groups in order to streamline the mobilization of resources in times of crisis.
Speaking on the destruction caused by the flood at UMTH, the CMD stated that flooding presents serious problems for communities all around the world and calls for efficient response systems. The Chief Medical Director (CMD) has started a number of programs to lessen the negative effects of floods and prevent them from happening again. He claims that the hospital works to lessen vulnerability and increase resilience in affected populations and patients by implementing comprehensive flood control policies and strategic planning.
READ ALSO:https://newsng.ng/umth-how-professor-ahidjos-transformation-agenda-impacted-the-information-unit/
The creation of early warning systems that enable prompt alerts for approaching floods is one of the CMD’s planned initiatives. By utilizing cutting-edge meteorological data and predictive analytics, these devices will help UMTH communities get ready for any future flooding. Additionally, public awareness campaigns have been crucial in informing the public about the dangers of flooding and in supporting preventative measures like emergency evacuation plans, which the hospital intends to utilize going forward. These programs are made more effective by including community input, which guarantees that decision-making processes are informed by local expertise.
Two crises were brought about by the flooding: the immediate risk to patient safety and the interruption of medical services. In response, UMTH took extensive steps to protect its patients’ wellbeing while guaranteeing the continuity of their care. These actions included creating emergency procedures. Also, a plan for the allocation of funds for flood control and working with the government to enable prompt responses may be understood in the efforts to assess the level of disruption by the flood.
The mobilization of medical staff to obtain vital medical supplies and support patients in evacuation attempts was a crucial component of UMTH’s reaction. Employees put in a great deal of effort to move patients who were at risk from impacted locations on the hospital grounds, giving priority to those who needed intensive care or had chronic illnesses. In addition, patients were accommodated in makeshift shelters that were established upstairs at the hospital.
Significant worries about patient safety and the operational integrity of medical equipment have been raised by the water occurrences at the cancer centers and radiology departments. The Chief Medical Director, or CMD, has stated that quick evaluations are essential to determine the level of harm done to these devices, especially considering how important they are to treatment plans and diagnostic imaging. Flooding can affect these sophisticated instruments’ calibration as well as performance, which might result in inaccurate readings or inefficient therapy delivery. Therefore, it is essential that a thorough assessment be carried out prior to any device being approved for usage.
Professor Ahmed Ahidjo
The CMD also stresses the need for thorough backup planning and routine maintenance to reduce the likelihood of similar events in the future. This entails making investments in waterproofing techniques for crucial sections of healthcare facilities to guarantee that equipment can tolerate unforeseen environmental difficulties. The current state of affairs emphasizes the necessity of proactive risk management techniques and serves as a reminder of the vulnerabilities present in the healthcare system.
The Chief Medical Director (CMD) made admirable efforts to guarantee that patient care remained a top priority in the face of these challenges. These preventative actions included arranging for the deployment of resources, improving staff coordination, and putting emergency protocols in place to handle the flood of patients impacted by the catastrophe. In times of crisis, the response from patients and their families demonstrates a complex interaction between heightened expectations and thankfulness.
The majority of patient relations’ responses to these initiatives were favorable. Numerous people conveyed gratitude for the CMD’s leadership amid a turbulent moment, emphasizing how prompt actions reduced possible health risks related to flooding. The construction of makeshift hospitals in safer locales demonstrated compassion for patients in times of emergency and built a rapport between medical staff and patients. Since it strengthens the therapeutic connection at the heart of efficient healthcare delivery, this trust is crucial.
Indeed, the flooding has had a substantial impact on the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), exacerbating pre-existing issues within the healthcare system. Thousands of patients depend on the hospital, a major healthcare facility in northeastern Nigeria, for both routine and emergency care, making it an indispensable resource. There is an urgent need for more governmental and non-governmental help in light of the flood issues currently facing the region in order to guarantee that UMTH can carry on offering vital medical services to the community, Nigeria, and all of west Africa.
Dr. James Bwala, PhD, writes from Abuja.
Flood in UMTH: Professor Ahidjo’s demonstrated leadership in emergencies
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