The WHO Representative in Nigeria, Dr. Walter Kazadi Mulombo said that Universal Health Coverage (UHC) will enable the Government of Nigeria to significantly increase investment in the health sector.
This, according to him is to relieve households of the heavy burden of out-of-pocket expenditure on health which is still above 70%.
He made this known at the Ministerial Press Conference to Mark the Global Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Day, 12 December 2021.
According to him; “It is my honour and privilege, to participate in this auspicious event marking the global Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Day 2021, with the theme “Leave no one behind, invest in health systems for all”.
“The theme of this year’s celebration, indeed reminds us of the need for countries to invest more in health systems towards achieving UHC in order to leave no one behind.
“This takes into cognizance evidence-based decisions and practical steps in population coverage on essential health services, and financial protection from poverty due to illness and access to healthcare.
“In August 2017, the WHO Region for Africa at Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, adopted an Action Framework to ensure achievement of UHC and the SDGs through the Health Systems. More than ever before, we call for deliberate integrated actions across the six (6) building blocks of governance; health workforce; financing; infrastructure, medicines, products, and supplies; and information systems at the national and subnational levels.
“This call is particularly more imperative considering the ongoing global struggle to stem the tides of the COVID-19 pandemic. Here in our country Nigeria, we now face not only the challenges of communicable diseases with high burdens of HIV, Tuberculosis, Malaria, and Respiratory Tract Infections but have increasing cases of non-communicable diseases including Hypertension, Diabetes, and Cancers. We also have frequent disease outbreaks such as Cholera, Lassa Fever, Yellow Fever, Meningitis, etc, and protracted humanitarian crisis in security compromised parts of the country”, he said.
He, however, commended the goodwill of Mr. President in championing health reforms by commissioning the Presidential Health Sector Reform Committee under the Chairmanship of the Vice President. This is a unique opportunity we must leverage on while not missing existing opportunities in the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF) towards improving primary healthcare and health security as well as the great potentials in domestic resources within the Nigerian private sector.
He further stated that, “As we come close to the end of another remarkable year, there is a huge opportunity to take stock of the dividends of health and healthcare provided to our people by articulating the annual state of the health report in line with the National Health Act 2014. This will not only showcase the achievements and progress made so far but will be useful in laying bare key challenges and areas where improvement would be needed.
“Finally, the WHO within our mandate and presence in Nigeria will continue to provide evidence-based technical support and expertise to the Government and people of Nigeria to achieve the highest health outcomes they desire”.
