By Hassan Zaggi
The World Health Organization (WHO) Technical Officer, Health Financing and Public-Private Partnerships/Universal Health Coverage Life-Course Cluster in Nigeria, Dr. Francis Ukwuije, has advocated for improved revenue generation in order to address out-of-pocket expenditures in the health sector.
He made the call at a-3-day conference organized by the Association of Nigeria Health Journalists (ANHEJ) in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Akwanga, Nasarawa State.
He revealed that 10% of the population spend 60% of the total health expenditure as individuals which they pay from their hard-earned money to cater for health-related issues.
He maintained that many citizens risk their daily income and means of survival while generating huge resources to pay for unpredictable large health bills as well as providing predictable amounts when healthy to cover their unpredictable costs when sick or injured.
Dr. Francis therefore, stressed that raising sufficient and sustainable revenues is paramount to guaranteeing efficient and equitable access to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
“Manage revenues to pool health risks efficiently and equitably. Assure allocation of resources and purchasing of health services in an equitable as well as technical and allocative efficient manner.
“Equity objectives are served when healthy/wealthier people cross-subsidize less healthy/poorer people. UHC is Central to Achieving the SDGs.”
Dr. Francis disclosed that the WHO has supported Nigeria’s health financing to ensure that people have quality services at an affordable cost without the risk of financial hardship linked to paying for care, adding that more effort on the part of the government is required to amplify the effort.
“Goal 3, Target 3.8 Ensure all people have access to needed key promotive, preventive, curative, and rehabilitative health services of good quality at an affordable cost without the risk of financial hardship linked to paying for care.
“All Nigerians are covered by an essential package of health services. Health financing is concerned with the mobilization, accumulation, allocation, and utilization of resources to help countries make progress towards objectives such as UHC.
“The amount of money spent on health matters, but where the money comes from and how financing is structured is also important,” he said.
