Group advocates improvement of budgetary allocation, releases for Jigawa health sector

By Ahmed Rufa’i, Dutse

Jigawa State government has been asked to redesign it’s budgetary system by giving emphasis to primary healthcare delivery service not only secondary and tertiary healthcare services.

The call was made by the JIgawa State Maternal Accountability Forum (JiMAF), a non governmental organization in a presentation by Comrade Isah Mustapha at a one day Engagement forum between governor’s aides on health matters, civil society Organazetion and media organized by JiMAF and Sponsored by “Lafiya Project” a UK funded programme at Dutse Royal Hotel.

The executive director Exceptional Leadership and Integrity Ptomotion Initiative (ELIP) Comrade Isah Mustapha also appealed to the state government to ensure adequate and timely releases of fund budgeted for healthcare services for effective and speedy healthcare delivery.

The resource person expressed concern on the budgetary and fund allocation system in the state where government is giving more emphasis on secondary and tertiary healthcare services than the primary healthcare services.

According to him “75 percent of deaths in the state are caused by primary healthcare related cases. It is only 25 percent deaths occuring as a result of secondary and tertiary healthcare related cases”.

“But emerging funds allocation and releases from the budget is vice versa. 75 percent of money spends in the health sector is at secondary and tertiary healthcare services, while 25 percent is on primary healthcare services”.

Mustapha maintained that inadequate and late or non releases of funds on healthcare services and in primary healthcare services in particular is a major contributing factor of poor healthcare delivery leading to maternal mortality.

Comrade Mustapha noted that from 2015 to 2022 the sum of ₦163 billion was budgeted for the state health sector and ₦112 billion was spent.

“The sum of  N65 billion was spent on salary and allowances while ₦46 billion was on capital project, with secondary and tertiary sector getting the lion share.

“While for the year 2023, as we entered the last quarter of the year, the budget performance for health sector is less than 41%, this is a source  serious concern.”

“With this indices and other related issues, there is need for Government to redesign it’s health policy and spending, a more concerted and robust  approach should be given to primary Healthcare sector to tackle the challenges, and also make basic healthcare services more accessible and affordable for all”

The group engaged the newly appointed special Advisers and Assistants on Health to Jigawa state governor Malam Umar Namadi to advocate the need for the state government to improve budget releases to the state health sector

The Civil Society equally advocated for paradigm shift in healthcare spending, as it requested for more budget allocation to primary Healthcare sector than secondary and tertiary.

In his comment during the interactive session, the special Adviser to the governor on charge of Ringim Emirate, Alhaji Isiyaku  Sabo said, “we are newly appointed but we are not new with the challenges affecting  our health sector”

“We promise to convey this report to his Excellency Governor Malam Umar Namadi for action, We will continue to partner with JiMAF, Lafiya Project and other civil societies in finding out the best way to improve our public healthcare services delivery for a better society” He declared.