Gates Foundation calls for increase in primary healthcare funding in Nigeria

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) says funding for primary healthcare in Nigeria should be increased.

Jeremie Zoungrana, the foundation’s country director for Nigeria, spoke on Friday at the primary healthcare summit organised by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA).

The theme of the summit is ‘Re-imagining: Evolving a Resilient Platform for Achieving our National and Global Health Goals in a Peri-COVID Era’.

While commending the vision of the government to revitalise its primary healthcare system, Zoungrana said the reforms are a continuous process that requires periodic reviews.

Zoungrana also reiterated the foundation’s commitment to offering its support.

“I would like to recommit to the implementation of the Seattle declaration and our primary health care challenge fund to incentivise prioritisation, reform, and financing of primary healthcare,” he said.

“I would like to emphasise three things. First, the need to go to scale, we need to have programs that not only reach thousands of people but millions of people. The marginal change will not work for Nigeria.

“Second, we need to increase funding for primary health care. We need programs that leverage government own resources that can be brought to scale to reach millions of people.  The basic health care provision fund  (BHCPF) if well implemented could be transformational.  We appreciate and commend the support of the private sector.

“Third, Transparency. Quality of spending needs to be better managed for optimal results. This is why accountability and transparency is paramount.

“The BMGF supported the recently launched Lancet Nigeria Commission: Investing in the health and future of the nation, which provides a framework to reset and shape Nigeria’s health agenda. It presents very clear recommendations to inform the delivery of health goals for the next decade for Nigeria.

“The foundation continues to be grateful for our partnership, and proud to be associated with the good work that the ministry of health, NPHCDA, and other health agencies and states have done and continue to do.”