By Lizzy Carr, Bauchi
Bauchi State House of Assembly has reiterated its commitment to work towards providing quality and affordable healthcare services to people at rural communities.
Speaker of the House, Abubakar Suleiman stated this while receiving members of a Bauchi-based CSO, Journalists for Public Health Development and Initiative (J4PD), accompanied by other International Development Partners on an advocacy to the Assembly.
Suleiman, represented by the Deputy Speaker, Danlami Ahmed Kawule, said that affordable and quality healthcare service delivery is what the people need in order to have healthy and variant society.
According to him, the House is ever ready to collaborate with international partners but identified gaps between the assembly and partners working in the state.
“During the 7th and 8th Assemblies, Development Partners used to submit the annual workplan to the Assembly and there were frequent meetings to discuss implementation of their activities.
“We need to understand your programs and areas you want us to come in,” he said.
On implementation of the state health contributory scheme, he assured that the members will key into it by enrolling their constituents in order to make healthcare services accessible.
“I am launching the scheme in my constituency with 50 vulnerable persons from Zungur Galambi”.
The Coordinator of J4PD, Elizabeth Kah stressed the importance of health insurance scheme which is compulsory for every Nigerian as contained in the National Health Insurance Authority Act signed by the President, Muhammadu Buhari in May, 2022 and is also contained in the Bauchi State Health Contributory Management Agency Law.
Kah noted that by keying into the health contributory scheme, members will become promoters of effective healthcare delivery services across the state which is the main objective of the scheme.
She added that universal health coverage can only be achieved when people particularly in the rural areas are effectively covered by a health insurance scheme.
The J4PD Coordinator advocated for the realization of the 15% budgetary allocation to the health sector in line with the Abuja declaration, saying that every allocation to the sector should be distinct from others.
The state Director of USAID IHP, Dr Alhassan Siaka stressed the importance of the health insurance scheme, saying that it will enhance quality, affordable and effective healthcare delivery services to the people particularly those on the rural areas.
He also said that members should, through their oversight functions, ensure that allocations were promptly released and utilized for the purposes meant for.
“The development partners want to see that funds made available for particular project was expended as required. They want to see things done as outlined, this will motivate them to allocate more funds for more projects and programs”.
Rabi Ekele of USAID State2State reiterated the need for the implementation of the 15% allocation to the health sector and increased allocation to Education Water Sanitation and Hygiene ( WASH ) sectors of the state which she said will boost quality healthcare service delivery in the state.
