Nigerian Medical Association Press Release On Review of 2016 Health Budget

Posted on: Wed 03-02-2016

Nigerian Medical Association wishes to call the attention of the federal Government and more appropriately the National Assembly to Urgently review and revise the paltry allocation of N221.7 Billiion to Health ministry in the 2016 Appropriation Bill.

The Association views with great dismay the sharp departure from the prescribed 15% of the national budget for health made in 2001 in a meeting of African Heads of States an Government which Nigeria hosted in Abuja, Observing that this deviation has posed a huge moral burden for the country in going against her own avowed commitment despite the emerging challeges and resultant burgeoning demands from the sector.

Through not ignorant of the current realities of dwindling oil revenue and contracting fiscal space - a situation which the country has mnost unfortunately found herselfm NMA is of the view that the markedly diminished allocation of 3.65% in the 2016 Budget would never encourage the advancement of universal health coverage which is the only panacea towards improving availability, access quality and efficiency of the Health services to reduce the disparaging health indices which continue to malign the image of our country in the comity of nations. We are also shock as th N60 billion(equivalent of at least 1% of the Consolidate Reveneue Fund) envisaged to accrue as the Basic Health Provision fund as enshrined in the National Health Act 2014 was conspiciouly absent from the budget proposal as presented.

Coming at this auspicious occasion of budgeting under the reassuring change mantra, it is our considered opinion that Nigeria should show the way and provide leadership in Africa after having failed in the regard since 2001. Facts from available evidence show that whereas 33% of countries have allocated at least 10% of their national budget to health with only Tanzania, Rwanda, Swaziland, Ethiopia, Malawi and Central African Republic attaining 15%, Nigeria has been revolving between 3% and 6%. The Association is also dismayed that contrary to the recommendation of the World Health Organisation (WHO) that national Budgets should allocated equivalent of N6,908.00 Per Head (General Governement Health Expenditures(GGHE)per Capital), reports form the World Bank reveal that the 2016 federal budget only Provided for N1448.00 ($7.55 at $1=N197) representing a retrogression from N1546.00 in 2015 and N1653.00 in 2014. This presents a precarious situation as all other contributions from state and local governments; donor agencies and other sources cannot bridge the deficit of N5460.00 in this regard.

It is on this premise that we call on the National Assembly as the only organ that could mitigate this looming disaster in the Healthcare delivery sector in 2016 at this juncture, to look dispassionately without any partisan sentiments at what should be done to substantially Increase the allocation to the health ministry in order to deliver better healthcare to the Nigerian People. Appreciating with Great Expectations the Lofty ambition of the federal government through the federal ministry of health to revitalise 1000 primary health centres in Nigeria by 2017 beginning with one per sentatorial zone in the first instance; modernising some tertiary hospitals to centres of excellence status in order to mitigate medical tourism; the renewed vigor or responsiveness to emerging health challeges increasing Transparency and widening doors of consultations and cooperation, Nigerian Medical Association strongly Believees that it is only commensurate fundinjg that could drive the proposals to reasonable actualisation.

NMA promises to assist governemnt in playing her role in Budget tracking to ensure that budgeted and released funds are used for the purposes thay were appropriated. while also calling on state and local governments to allocate substantial resources to the Healthcare delivery sector and encourage donors and philanthropists not to be fatiqued at this critical point in Nigeria's history, therefore restates with glowing opimism her unalloyed loyalty, commitment and readiness to partner with governement to deliver prompt and efficient health care to Nigerian.

In this era of reducation in oil revenue the economy will rest mainly on human resource potentialities and manpower development output. Therefore the only road to economic recovery is for the Government to guarantee basic minimum package of healthcare to every citizen thrrough Universal Health Coverage (UHC). The panacea for the UHC is Community Based Health Insurance. This is achievable by increasd Budgetary allocation to Healthcare(15%) and operationalization of National Health Act.

Signed:

Dr. Kayode Obembe

President

Nigerian Medical Association

Dr. Adewunmi Alayaki

Secretary General

Nigerian Medical Association

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