We’ve released N540m to each state as health intervention – Health Minister

*Says 774 Primary Healthcare centres to be revived

• 20,000 HIV/AIDs patients to get free treatment

The Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole has disclosed that the Federal Government under the Save One Million Lives Performance for Result Initiative (SOMLP) has released a whopping $1.5million (N540 million) as an intervention to each of the 36 states of the federation in its bid to addressing the critical health challenges in the country.

Adewole stated this on Monday during the flag- off of Health Intervention Project yesterday in Abuja. He noted that some states have already made progress on the implementation of the project.

The minister also said that the Federal Ministry of Health is utilising part of SOMLP fund to kick start free screening for some common cancer cases in Nigeria as a short term measure.

The development, according to him, is in continuation of the FMOH’s Rapid Result Initiatives (RRI) programme in the country.

He said, ” Specifically, the FMOH through her tertiary health institutions will be conducting free screening for cervical and breast cancers among eligible women and prostate cancers for men above age of 50 years.

“In total, we plan to screen 250,000 eligible poor Nigerians who hitherto can not pay for these services. May I appeal to private sector players including foundations to support FGN in her quest to screen Nigerians for cancers by collaborating with us. We are open to suggestions and advice to making this effort sustainable.

“The ultimate benefit of the cancer screening is to link those picked with early cancers to treatment and hopefully begin to proactively reduce our cancer burden.

“Today, 10,000 cancer deaths are recorded annually while 250,000 new cases are recorded yearly in Nigeria”.
Speaking on the Federal Government’s effort to curb medical tourism to a barest minimum, Adewole said that the
Ministry has concluded plans to revitalise about 774 Primary Healthcare Centres in each local governments area, 1 PHC per LGA.

“Today, we are injecting resources to fund another 774 PHCs which I believe will augment existing revitalised centres” he added.

He also said that with the special intervention projects, over 20,000 Nigerians living with HIV/Aids nationwide will have free access to anti-retroviral drugs as well as screening of common cancers (Cervix, breast and prostate).

The intervention projects which according to him are the product of consultations with stakeholders in the health sector will also cover 10,000 free cataract surgeries ( 250 cataract surgeries per state) and free treatment of 800 patients with confirmed diagnosis of hepatitis C infection.

“As you well know, the Tertiary Hospitals are designed as facilities at the peak of the healthcare system, where most complicated medical conditions are handled. Unfortunately these facilities are today faced with numerous challenges including: Inadequate equipment for tertiary care services; underfunding arising from budgetary and fiscal constraints; and dilapidated infrastructures amongst others”.

Lamenting the poor state of health infrastructures in the country despite Federal Government’s intervention and annual budgetary appropriations, the minister stressed the urgent need to intervene and smoothen up the operation of the Health institutions.

He listed the Federal Teaching Hospitals, Medical Centres and Specialist Hospitals across the six geopolitical zones that will benefit from the intervention include: 21 Federal Teaching Hospitals; 31 Federal Medical Centres; 4 Specialist Hospitals; 14 Fistula and Cleft lip/palate Centres

Under the project, the minister added that each of the Federal Teaching Hospitals will receive N300m while the Specialist Hospitals will receive N200m each.

“The Federal Medical Centres and the Fistula Centres will each receive N120m and N50m respectively” he added.

He further said that to ensure the security and appropriateness in the application of the grants, each benefiting institution would sign a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the NHIS and the FMoH.

The MoU according to him will spell out the operational modalities of the project.
Earlier, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Dr. Tejuosho Olarewanju assured the committee will work closely with the ministry to achieve the desired goal of transforming the health sector.

Doosuur Iwambe – Abuja