“I am here with my baby to enroll for the Basic Health Care Provision Fund programme. So that we can have access to free malaria treatment, immunization, antenatal and other services the programme offers,” Mrs. Esther Adebola told Daily Trust at the Primary Healthcare Centre , Isale Agbara, Osogbo, Osun state .
She was one of the many indigenes of the state who went for the federal governments’ flag-off of the enrollment of clients under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund Programme also known as ‘Huwe’ in Osun. Huwe means life in Ebira language.
The Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) is a key component of the National Health Act (NHA) that ensures basic minimum health package for Nigerians. It is derived from a minimum of one per cent (1%) of the federal government’s Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF).
The act was passed into law in 2014 as part of actions towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Nigeria. Universal Health Coverage (UHC) means ensuring that people get access to quality healthcare without suffering financial hardships.
In line with this, the federal government had allocated N55.1 billion in the 2018 budget, and in January this year, President Muhamamdu Buhari rolled out its implementation in 21 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Osun is the first state for the flag-off of the enrollment.
International partners such as the World Bank, Bill and Malinda Gates Foundation and USAID also contribute to the fund.
Speaking during the exercise at the primary healthcare centre in Osogbo, the Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, said the launch of the fund would help tackle many of the country’s health challenges.
He said it was the federal government’s direct response to addressing high inequalities in access to quality healthcare, and eliminating out of pocket expenses for primary health care services in order to improve health outcomes in Nigeria.
He said consequently, residents of the State of Osun would benefit from services worth N916m over the next nine months.
“This amount is equivalent to payment for the management of 270,000 women with normal deliveries, 763,000 under 5-childhood illnesses or 572,000 cases of malaria. In addition, 332 public sector facilities will become truly functional as a result of the program,” he said.
He said the programme would also be flagged-off in Niger, Katsina and Abia in the coming days, with immediate roll out in the other 17 States and the FCT which have indicated interest.
The minister commended the Global Facility Financing of the World Bank and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) that committed $20million and $2million respectively to the programme in the early phase.
He said: “In addition, we are grateful to DFID, USAID, CIDA, World Health Organisation (WHO), the Norwegian Government and other development partners who have been immensely supportive in helping us shape our Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agenda. “
He also commended implementing partners of the fund , such as Health Policy Plus (HP+), Results for development, and Health Strategy and Delivery Foundation among others.
Osun State governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, said the government and people of Osun were grateful to the federal government for bringing the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund to the state barely six months after facilitating the Save One Million Lives World Bank Grant for the benefit of states of the federation.
He told the minister that the state would constitute the State Health Care Development Board (SPHCDB) in accordance with the requirements of HUWE, adding that it shall be transparent in the execution of the programme and ensure effective implementation of all its components.
The Senior Technical Advisor to the minister on the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, Dr Oyebanji Filani, said some services the people of Osun would enjoy from their enrollment in the fund include ante-natal care, delivery (including caesarean sections), family planning, treatment of childhood under-five illnesses, malaria treatment for all and screening for non- communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes.
He said both public and private facilities would benefit from the fund, adding that the facilities would receive the money in two ways. Officer in Charge of World Health Organisation Nigeria office , Dr Clement Peter said the fund would help make the state healthier, and make a difference in the country’s poor health indices.
