Health
THE Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has appealed to the two new ministers of health to work closely with state governments to increase funding for the Primary Health Care system geared towards delivering better healthcare in the country.
The National President of the association, Dr Frances Faduyile, made the appeal at a news conference in Abuja ahead of its forthcoming summit on patient-centred care.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the newly appointed Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, and the Minister of State for Health, Dr Olorunnimbe Mamora, assumed duty shortly after their inauguration on Aug. 21, by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Faduyile said the summit would hold from Nov. 4 to 8 in Abuja, six years after the maiden edition.
Faduyile said that one of the major challenges of Nigeria’s health system was sustainable Primary Health Care (PHC) system.
According to him, the NMA believe that the PHC is beyond the scope of Federal Ministry of Health because it is within the constitutional purview of state and local governments.
Faduyile further urged the new ministers to work with their colleagues in other ministries and departments to enhance health care services.
According to him, health has relationship with water, agriculture, road and housing, among others.
He therefore advised the new ministers to interface with their colleagues from these ministries and key stakeholders to improve health sector.
“We expect the new Ministers of Health to work with the state governments to increase funding for the Primary Health Care system towards ensuring that PHC system became more functional.
“If that level of healthcare is functional, all pressures at secondary and tertiary health facilities will reduce and the tertiary health system will focus more on the type of services it is expected to provide,” the NMA president said.
He explained that the Patient Centred Care (PCC) would top its agenda at the NMA second National Health Care Summit, considering the fact that patients in the hospital constitute the centre of healthcare delivery in the country.
“Without the patient, there will be no health profession. Moreover, a doctor, pharmacist, nurse and other health personnel are potential patients.
“The core of healthcare delivery is to deliver quality healthcare to the patient, indeed the Nigerian patients are worth it,” he said.
Faduyile added that the summit would help in identifying the challenges that are militating against the attainment of basic, affordable and quality healthcare delivery in the country. (NAN)
– Aug. 27, 2019 @ 13:19 GMT |
Tags: PHCs funding: NMA tasks new health ministers to work with States
