HealthTop Story

Nigeria accelerating progress towards universal health coverage – Minister

149
Universal health coverage was the central message at the opening of the 71st World Assembly of World Health Organization, WHO, in Geneva, Switzerland, with a call for  health systems strengthening across the Nations.

The global community under the United Nations has committed to try to achieve universal health coverage (UHC) by 2030, as part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Universal health coverage is the reflection of the political commitment of countries towards health.

Addressing the Assembly, the Director General of WHO, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, strengthening the health systems everywhere was important to prevention of future outbreaks of Ebola and other diseases.

He noted that although the spread of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo,( DRC) to an urban city is a concern to WHO, it has agreed that it has not reached a global emergency status as the problem is being tacked by WHO and the government of DRC. He said that preventive high risk population targetted   vaccination has commenced in DRC and this makes the situation better than the 2014 ebola outbreak.

He promised that the WHO will not settle for a world where the people would have to chose between health and poverty as a result of out of pocket expenses on healthcare.

He said Universal Health Coverage, (UHC )was the only way by which governments can address the health needs of their citizens.

In his message to the Nigerian Delegation to the  WHA, the Health Minister, Isaac Adewole noted that the Nigerian government  was on the right direction in its efforts to achieve UCH with the strong political  will demonstrated by the President Mohammadu Buhari led Administration which has resulted in the launch of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) tagged ‘ huwe ‘ to be financed by the 1% of the country’s Consolidated revenue fund, already approved by the National Assembly. Huwe is an Ebira word which means life.

The BHCPF is a fund allocated by NASS to address the Basic Health needs of all Nigerians. This, according to Adewole marks the begining of the journey to UHC in Nigeria

According to a statement by Mrs Boade Akinola, from the ministry of health, the minister  further expressed the resolve of the Nigerian government to strengthen partnership with WHO and other actors in global health including the Nigerian Private Sector.

 

 

 

Leave a comment

Related Articles

Just In: Delta military killings: DHQ declares Prof. Arthur, Amagben, six others wanted

The Defence Headquarters has declared eight people wanted over the recent killing...

Just in: Soneye, NNPC Ltd.’s spokesman, wins NIPR’s Distinguished Spokesperson Award

Mr. Olufemi Soneye, Chief Corporate Communications Officer of Nigerian National Petroleum Company...

Pres. Tinubu pays last respect to 17 soldiers murdered in Delta State

President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday extended scholarships to the children of the...

Fake, unwholesome products: NAFDAC seals 10 bakeries, 8 table water factories in Rivers

The National Agency for Food and Drug Control (NAFDAC) has shut down...

Just in: Bodies of 17 slain gallant soldiers arrive at Abuja military cemetery for burial

The bodies of the 17 military personnel slain recently at Okuama, Delta...

Kidnappers ‘ll be treated as terrorists, they are cowards going after soft targets – Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu has called for treating those involved in kidnapping as...

Just In: Again, CBN increases interest rate to 24.75 percent

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)...

U.S. bridge collapses after cargo ship collision, casualties feared

The Francis Scott Key Bridge in the US city of Baltimore collapsed...

FG allocates N37.4 bn for six cancer centres, ready in two years

The Federal Government has approved N37.4 billion for the Federal Ministry of...

Ease of doing business: NPA MD begins new week working on TinCan Port access road

As part of efforts aimed at consolidating the gains recorded in the...

Just in: How detained Binance Executive Anjarwalla outwits security officials, bolts from custody in Abuja

One of the two Binance executives detained in Abuja for alleged tax...

Breaking: FG files tax evasion charges against Binance

The Federal Government has slammed a four-count charge against Binance, a prominent...

World TB Day: 70 percent of TB cases in Africa now being diagnosed and treated – WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) has disclosed that about 70 percent of...

Just in: After 17 days in kidnappers’ den, 287 Kaduna primary school children released

After 17 days in captivity, the 287 Kuriga school children, who were...

In Delta again, six cops shot fatally, six more missing

Barely a week after 17 soldiers including four senior officers were brutally...

Moscow’s terrorist attack: Death toll rises to 115

The Russian investigative committee said at least 115 people have died after...

Water scarcity can fuel conflicts around the world, UN warns

The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has warned that...

Insecurity: 16 Nigerian governors endorse state police, constitution review in memos to FG

Amid rising insecurity in the country, the call for state police has...

Transparency, Research, Innovation Driving NNPC Ltd.’s Transformation – EVP Gas, Power, & New Energy

The Executive Vice President, Gas, Power, and New Energy of the Nigerian...

Cost of governance: Tinubu goes tough, slams no-foreign-travel ban on ministers, others for three months

With effect from April 1, 2024, ministers, heads of agencies, and other...