Breaking-Lagos Health Financing Dialogue: Stakeholders demand maximum release and implementation of health Sector budgets

By Innocent Onoh

Amidst disturbing child and maternal mortality, governments in Nigeria , especially Lagos State, have been urged to respect the sanctity of life by ensuring maximum release and implementation of budgetary allocation to health.

This was the unanimous opinion of representatives of different non governmental organisations and other stakeholders in the health sector at state, national and global levels.

They spoke during the Lagos State Health Financing Dialogue, organised by Lagos State Accountability Mechanism for Maternal and Newborn Health (LASAM) in collaboration with Save the Children International, Development Communications Network, MamaYe-Evidence for Action among others.

According to the Organisations, the call became imperative as records have shown that eventhough governments in the country have fallen short of meeting the recommended percentage of budget to health, they were also notorious for not fully releasing the amount they approved for the sector, just as the bulk of their expenditure were not tailored  to key areas that promote  quality of health  care delivery.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Health , Dr. Jude Idris had in an opening remark said that the dense population of the state which continues to increase due to high rate of migration, made it difficult for people to feel the impact of investments in the health Sector.

Dr. Jide who later participated in a panel discussion, noted that Government has in the last few years channeled huge resources to health , but were not  appreciated , owing to the fact that there were mostly intangible  projects including awareness creation on  specific health issues, mental  health, neonatal care, Adolescent health, environmental Sanitation, and fighting disease outbreaks such as Ebola, measles and malaria complications.

Recognising  health financing as a key segment of the health Sector, the commissioner said the state has been making drastic efforts to do things right, adding that any society that values life will definitely fund the  health Sector.

The following were the highlights of the highly participatory event that paraded delegates from Government, civil Society Organisations, Corporate institutions and the media.

Panel discussions on the keynote presentation entitled "Practical Strategies to maximise budget performance in the health sector  by a representative of Pharm Access  Dr. Olumide Okulaja

MamaYe's Program Director, Olivia Tulloch making her remarks

 Presentation of the ASKs by Mrs. Lola Alonge , LASAM Advocacy Sub-Committee

The ASKs include;

-Gradual increase of state Heath budget to 15% based on the 2001 Abuja Declaration

-Timely release of health allocations

-Accelerate implementation of health budget

- Private sector to support and fund health insurance scheme

 High point of the occasion was the launch of the #FundNaijaHealth Campaign; a hashtag for championing adequate funding of the health sector. This was handled by Dr. Tunde Segun, Country Director MamaYeE4A

The event was wrapped up with a presentation by General Manager Lagos State Health Insurance Scheme, Dr. Peju Adenusi who solicited the support of the private sector in funding to cover 95 percent of poor residents of the state as the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the State can only take care of 5 percent of the poor.

Noting also that not all health challenges are covered by the scheme , Dr. Adenusi explained that in the state health insurance scheme, a family of 6 is expected to contribute N40,000 annually while that involving  newly married couples can benefit by contributing N17000 annually.

Participatory session