FCTA budgets over N800m for PHC delivery – Aliyu

As part of measures to strengthen immunization and Primary Health Care in the territory, the FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Aliyu, has revealed that the Administration had in 2020 budget, provided not less than N800 million for Primary Health Care leadership, governance and infrastructure upgrade.  

Aliyu, made this revelation during the official Flagg off of the National Integrated Mobile Outreach Programme (I-MOP) by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, in Bwari Area Council of the territory.  

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Other areas covered by the 2020 budget according to the minister include N500 million provision made for reproductive health, integrated management of childhood illnesses and nutrition, adding that over N600 million for human resources for health, while over N700 million for essential medicines, immunization, vaccines and technology.  

The minister, however, stated that the sources of funding include the FCT Appropriation Act, 2020, the Saving One Million Lives Program for Results and the United Nations Development Assistance Framework  (UNDAF).  

Aliyu further stated that the reinvigorated FCT Health Insurance Scheme, has placed the administration on the path of achieving the Universal Health Coverage, stressing that the administration with partners, including benefitting communities, has taken the challenge of providing to residents, particularly women and children in most need, good quality, high impact primary health care services including immunization and nutrition activities.    

“Recently, a total N37,293,000 was disbursed to 62 PHC facilities with each PHC facility per ward in the FCT receiving a total N601,500 in the Direct Facility Funding under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF).” Aliyu said  

She affirmed that despite challenges facing the primary healthcare sector, specific findings in the report of the 2018 National Demographic and Health Survey (2018 NDHS), shows that FCT performed well and better than most states in the north central zone with some figures better than the zonal and national averages.  

According to her, “In coverage of fully immunized children, FCT recorded 49.6 percent which is above the National average of 31 percent and, Modern Family Planning Prevalence at 20 percent against National 12 percent, Attendance at Ante Natal Care 88 percent against National 67 percent, Skilled birth attendance in the facility at 63 percent against National 39 percent”.  

The minister assured that the FCT Administration would continue to support all programmes and activities geared towards improving the quality of lives and health outcomes of all residents, particularly women and children, adding that working with development partners access would be expanded to the underserved communities with optimal services uptake and utilization through the activities of community managerial system for Primary Health Care in FCT.  

In his remarks, the Executive Director of National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Faisal Shuaib, said the launch of the Integrated Mobile Outreach Programme was aimed at addressing some gaps in the number of children immunized with third dose pentavalent vaccine.  

“The improvements in routine immunization are however not indicative that every child in Nigeria is protected with lifesaving vaccines. Significant equity gaps still exist in underserved communities leading to catastrophic disease outbreak and deaths in some instances,” he noted.

He assured that during the I-MOP, all public health facilities providing primary healthcare services would be opened and should be accessed by all members of the public, adding that the vaccines being provided are free, safe and effective.