Group Advocates Increase On Budgetary Allocation To Health Sector

The Secretary General Follow the Money International, Mr Muktar Halilu,a Non Governmental Organisation, (NGO) has advocated for increase on budget allocation for healthcare sector in Nigeria to save lives.

Halilu stated this on Tuesday at a high-level round table in North East entitled: “setting agenda for healthcare in Nigeria”, in Yola.

The meeting was organised by Connected Development (CODE) in collaboration with Budgit.

The Secretary General said “that the aim of the meeting across the country was to put together the information on challenge of healthcare system in the country.”

According to him, the outcome of the meeting would be used during the health sector summit slated for later in the year.

He said that the summit would bring together state governors, ministers, commissioners, permanent secretaries and directors to proffer solutions and way the forward.

Speaking, Mua’azu Modou, Country representative, Follow the Money International expressed worry over how the 2023 budget allocation for solar power street lights superceded that of healthcare sector.

According to him, N86 billion was for solar power street lights while N46 billion was for the healthcare hence there was the need for government and legislators to look at the situation.

He called on the participants to actively contribute their own part towards improving the healthcare sector and the to fight corruption in the state for more successes.

According to him, with the right information CSOs will know how to engage decision makers to make right decisions.

Deputy Director Public Health in the state Mr Dogara Paul, commended the organizers for taking steps  to improve healthcare service delivery in the country.

In his submission, Abdullahi Jawa, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Health, Yobe State described the meeting as excellent.

He said that his capacity had improved on the current update in healthcare sector and assured to step down the knowledge to staff and students.

The participants were Permanent Secretaries and Directors of Ministry of Health drawn from Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe States.

The CSOs had a town hall meeting to get information from people of Adamawa on the same mission .

NAN/Oyenike Oyeniyi