Health experts have urged governments at the national and subnational levels to key into private and public partnership in promoting financing for family planning and integrated health services as a model for revitalising Nigeria’s healthcare delivery system.
The experts disclosed this at the 38th annual scientific conference organised by the Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria and funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation in Ilorin, Kwara state.
National Vice President Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria, Sunday Aderibigbe, noted that the percentage of national budget dedicated to health was small compared to the dwindling health indices of the populace.
He said, “As part of the mandate of the association of public health physicians, we are involved in all aspects of health funding, health promotion, and health prevention.
“We feel that funding for health is an integral part of this conference to raise the awareness of the policy makers about what they can do to make sure that health funding is increased in this country so that the health indices of our people can be better off.”
Also speaking at the conference on Wednesday, Director Programme Coordinating Department of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, Emily Olalere, stated that the government has clearly stated that there is need to engage the private sector and that was why the Pharmacist Council of Nigeria has involved to reposition the patient medicine vendors in the country.
She said that the PCN had aimed at improving the vendors’ service delivery through training.
Olalere added, “During that training, a lot of things are going to be done. We are going to train them on regulatory practices.
“We are going to train them on how to identify common illnesses in the community, how to use rapid diagnostic tests for identifying childhood diseases, even COVID-19, capacity development.
“They will be able to provide family planning, the family planning space, injectables and implants.”
She said that the Federal Ministry of Health has also adopted a task shifting policy to ensure that services that should be provided by the private sector to include reproductive and family planning, HIV services, Tuberculosis services, maternal and child health will be provided.
She added, “The Federal Ministry of Health has made provision that if these people are going to be providing these services, their capacity needs to be strengthened.”
Olalere said that the PCN had partnership from NGOS and other implementing partners that are helping to strengthen their capacity for effective delivery services.
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