Stakeholders in the health sector have called for more funding in order for Nigeria to achieve Universal Health Coverage by 2030.
This was the consensus at an event themed “Universal Health Coverage by 2030: Driving the Agenda with community at the centre”, organised by the Nigeria Network of Religious Leaders Living with or Personally Affected by HIV/AIDS (NINERELA+), in Abuja.
The National Coordinator of Nigeria Network of Religious Leaders Living with or Personally Affected by HIV/AIDS (NINERELA+), Amber Erinmwinhe, said that the
Universal Health Coverage (UHC) has gained tremendous global momentum in the last few years, and Nigeria must build on the momentum through strengthened community participation.
She explained that for the country to achieve UHC, citizens must be part of a system that is designed to improve their access to quality health services without suffering financial hardship.
“Like the WHO rightly Stated, UHC will not be achieved until health systems and their diverse stakeholders engage with each other in effective ways,” Ms Erinmwinhe said.
She noted that social participation has been a key component of advances toward UHC and a key element of an effective and equitable extension of health coverage.
“Today, we are setting the grounds for effective engagement between communities and other healthcare stakeholders,” she said noting that the group is hopeful to engender more active participation of communities in the UHC Agenda.
Ms Erinmwinhe appreciated the Christian Aid UK Nigeria and FCT Health Insurance Scheme for sharing in its vision to protect the vulnerable ones.
Community involvement
In her remarks, a representative of Christian AID UK, Dr Adam-Ogoh Anne, said the sustainable way to address poverty is by providing UHC to the people.
“In our strategic plan for the next seven years, we are committed to standing together with poor and marginalised people to ensure that we address poverty, speak truth to power and amplify the voices of the people who have no capacity to do so through our 3P agenda.
We believe that everybody is just one sickness away from poverty and there fore the sustainable way to address poverty is by providing UHC since health and poverty are intricately intertwined,” Dr Anne said.
She said for UHC to become the foundation of health care in the country, communities must come to the table and be part of the conversation that designs the framework for a health care system suitable for their population.
“We believe that UHC addresses issues of equity, access, and uptake of quality and affordable services.
We believe that we need to contextualise the framework for the establishment of UHC If the program will bring about deep lasting and sustainable change.
We also believe that communities must contextualise the ideal situation to reflect the reality of their existence and get in the driver’s seat to take responsibility for their health seeking behaviour,” She said.
The Keynote speaker, Dr. Onoriode Ezire, said that there’s the need for governments to strengthen primary health care facilities and reduce out of pocket expenses.
He also noted that more Nigerians needed to be enrolled in the National Health Insurance Scheme.
Other speakers at the event also agreed that for Nigeria to achieve Universal Health Coverage, rural dwellers must be carried along and made to enjoy health insurance.
