FG commences enrolment for basic healthcare fund in Osun
Doosuur Iwambe, Abuja
The federal government has flagged off the enrolment of clients under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) in Osogbo, the Osun state capital.
The epoch making event which was held at the Primary Healthcare Centre, Isale-Agbara, Osogbo, at the weekend is a key component of the National Health Act which aims at extending primary healthcare to all Nigerians by substantially increasing the level of financial resources to primary healthcare services.
This was contained in a statement by the Director, Media and Public Relations of the Ministry of Helath, Boade Akinola.
Speaking at the launch, the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, said that the programme is a signature programme of the Buhari administration, stating the administration believes that the nation’s success depends on its ability to transform non – renewable natural capital into productive wealth by investing more in human capital to ensure their general wellbeing.
In view of this, Adewole stated that the federal government has resolved to tackle poverty, poor health outcomes, literacy and governance challenges that threaten national development.
He further informed that 70 per cent of total health expenditure in Nigeria was borne out of pocket. This, the minister regretted was far higher than the globally acceptable rate of 30-40 per cent and as such, a barrier to accessing healthcare.
Prof. Adewole maintained that the flag-off of the scheme is an indication that President Buhari is committed to reversing the ugly situation and promoting shared prosperity among the populace.
He also said that to ensure equity in the disbursement of funds for the programme, resources were allocated to states based on their indices of poverty and also on per capital basis.
This guaranteed that programme would help reduce inequality in the use and access to healthcare services, particularly, by the most vulnerable, adding that the programme would also be flagged off in three more states earlier announced with immediate roll out in 17 other states and the FCT.
