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The World Health Organization(WHO) has lamented that Nigeria bears the highest burdens of tuberculosis and paediatric HIV while accounting for 50% of neglected tropical diseases in Africa.
It said, Although the prevalence of malaria is declining (from 42% to 23%), the country contributes 27% of global cases and 24% of global deaths.
The WHO Field Presence Cluster Lead, Ahmed Khedr said Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) account for 29% of all deaths in Nigeria with premature mortality from the 4 main NCDs (Hypertension, Diabetes, Cancers, Malnutrition) accounting for 22% of all deaths.
Khedr who represented the Country Representative, Walter Kazadi Mulombo at the 6th Annual Conference of the Association of Nigerian Health Journalists(ANHEJ) further explained that while the poorest households feel the heaviest impact of these inefficiencies and poor health outcomes as they have limited access to essential health services, the negative externalities pose huge losses to the Nigerian economy.
He said: “There is no single pathway to UHC. All countries must find their own way, in the context of their own social, political and economic circumstances.
“But the foundation everywhere must be a political commitment to building a strong health system, based on primary care, with an emphasis on disease prevention and health promotion.
“Such health systems do not only provide the best health outcomes; they are also the best defence against outbreaks and other health emergencies. In this sense, UHC and health security are truly two sides of the same coin.
“For that reason, Nigeria’s Presidential Summit on universal health coverage in 2014 was a vital step. Its declaration that was signed by Mr President and all state governors affirms that UHC is key to ensuring equitable access to high-quality, affordable health care for all Nigerians.
“The declaration contains a 23-point statement which recommends a greater commitment of all tiers of government to improving UHC and the institution of mandatory health insurance.”
He also explained that National Health Act (NHAct) enacted the same year laid a firm foundation for making UHC a reality, by guaranteeing a basic package of health services for all Nigerians while making available predictable financing through the basic healthcare provision fund.
“Just in May this year (2022) the President signed into law, the National Health Insurance Authority Bill, making health insurance mandatory for all legal residents in Nigeria, designating States the implementers of health insurance, and creating the Vulnerable Group Fund meant to cater for over 83 million poor and vulnerable citizens.
“What is most critical at this time is to ensure diligent implementation of these laws towards accelerating access to their well-intended dividends to the people.”
He, however, appreciated the government of Nigeria for consistently releasing its commitment of at least 1% of its consolidated revenue fund towards the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF).
“It is expected that the BHCPF if well implemented, would provide a great opportunity to turn political commitment into tangible gains while rallying development partners and the private sector around revitalizing primary health care as the foundation of UHC.
“The WHO, from Alma-Ata has continued to provide technical support to member states including Nigeria towards achieving the health system of their dreams embedded in primary healthcare.
“This was reaffirmed by the Astana declaration of 2018, which among others seeks to ensure that, governments prioritize, promote and protect people’s health and well-being, at both population and individual levels, through strong health systems; Primary health care and health services that are high quality, safe, comprehensive, integrated, accessible, available, and affordable for everyone and everywhere, provided with compassion, respect and dignity by health professionals who are well-trained, skilled, motivated, and committed, and Partners and stakeholders are aligned in providing effective support to national health policies, strategies, and plans.”
He narrated that currently, the WHO mandate has been translated into the triple billion goals of the 13th General Program of Work (GPW13), which is the transformation agenda of the African Region, and the Nigeria Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS).
“With the global lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Assembly in its 75th session, extended the GPW13 up to the year 2025 to focus on 5 priorities namely: supporting countries to make an urgent paradigm shift towards promoting health and well-being and preventing disease by addressing its root causes; have a radical reorientation of health systems towards primary health care, as the foundation of universal health coverage.
“Urgently strengthen the systems and tools for epidemic and pandemic preparedness and response at all levels, underpinned by strong governance and financing to ignite and sustain those efforts, connected and coordinated globally by WHO; harness the power of science, research innovation, data and digital technologies as critical enablers of the other priorities; and urgently strengthen WHO as the leading and directing authority on global health, at the centre of the global health architecture.
“The WHO clearly identifies the media as a critical partner and if well harnessed has the potential to accelerate the achievement of UHC in any country. Over the years, we have significantly invested in communications for health in-country offices and prioritized strategic communication within Output 4.2.1 of the GPW13.”
He assured that within this mandate, WHO will continue to support Health journalists with the capacity they need, to leverage their role in strategic communication, towards raising health high on the political agenda of the government, empowering audiences, giving communities a voice, and creating safe spaces for decision-makers and citizens to discuss challenges and co-create solutions that address health needs of the people.
In his remarks, the President of ANHEJ, Mallam Hassan Zaggi urged the government at all levels to take the health of Nigerians seriously as he stressed that, it should be at the top of their priority, because, health is wealth and it is only a healthy society that can be productive.
Zaggi also called on lawmakers at both the federal, state and local government levels to ensure they enact the relevant laws that will support and improve the attainment of UHC through health insurance.
Zaggi said, “in order to eliminate the out-of-pocket payment that makes access to quality and affordable healthcare services inequitable especially amongst the indigent and vulnerable groups, communities and associations must begin to adopt models that suit their enrolment in health insurance to enable them access health care services when the need arises without catastrophic expenditure.
“I, therefore, call on our Senators, House of Representative members, House of Assembly members, and councillors to adopt villages, communities and individuals in their constituencies by paying their health insurance premium annually.
“Since democracy has come to stay in Nigeria, sustainability and continuity of this model should not be a challenge for our current leader’s successors,” He added.
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