Former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Charles Chukwuma Soludo, has advocated a harmonised and consolidated national public sector intervention in addressing Nigeria’s poor health statistics, which has seen rising cases of maternal and infant mortality in the country.
The former bank governor who says effective and efficient health care funding have a direct bearing on poverty alleviation, said both the federal and state governments must coordinate health care funding in such a manner than 8 percent of the richest non-state actors are incentivised to make an impactful investment into Nigeria’s health sector.
“We need to design a structure of incentives for the richest 8% that probably controls some 90% of private wealth to systematically invest in health and education.
Soudo spoke on Tuesday in Abuja at the 26th annual Life Above Poverty Organisation (LAPO) Development Forum, with the theme: The Nigerian Healthcare situation: The way forward. He made a case for mainstreaming smart technologies in improving accessibility.
“It will require an extraordinary regime of coordination between the Federal and the 36 states’ governments for effectiveness in effective service delivery. Whatever the content or context of the healthcare delivery system, there must be a deliberate strategy to mainstream smart technologies and ensure accessibility,” he said.
Soludo further noted that unpacking health statistics by states will ensure a defined approach in having a one cap-fits-all response approach in addressing health care concerns.
He further called on non-state actors such as the Churches and Mosques, and nongovernmental organisations to step up their collaboration with the government in order to stem the tide of Nigeria’s poor health statistics.
“Our NGOs and CSOs should go beyond advocacy and become champions of transparency and accountability in healthcare expenditures. Put differently, the NGOs and CSOs should organize to become the value-for-money auditors in healthcare delivery as part of their citizen duty.
In his earlier remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of LAPO, Godwin Ehigiamusoe, said the annual LAPO development forum is a vital programme intervention of the organisation, which focuses on addressing developmental challenges in the country.
He pointed out further that this year’s focus on health is key as access to quality health care is a vital factor in the overall assessment of the wellbeing of the people.
“Poor health is not only an indicator of poverty; it equally constrains the realisation of the desired citizens’ contributions to over-all national development.
He informed further that on November 1, 2019, LAP0 will commission its Benin Medical Care (BMC), a multi-speciality 60-bed hospital and a well-resourced diagnostics centre; which would see to the deployment of innovative programmes to reach rural dwellers with quality and affordable healthcare.
HARRISON EDEH,ABUJA
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