Nigeria's Health Situation, A National Crisis....NGO

Nigeria's Health Situation, A National Crisis....NGO * X-Rays NHA's History, Challenges & Way Forward Okonta Emeka Okelum, Abuja A Nigerian based non government organization, recently described the nation's health reality as a national crisis. This position was made public on Thursday, this week, during an event organized by ONE Campaign planned for the 'Make Naija Stronger' celebration. Speaking to journalists, Serah Makka-Ugbabe, country director, ONE Campaign, decried the ugly prevailing national health situation and described it a a national crisis. According to her, Nigeria has the second largest HIV epidemic in the world with 3.2 million infected people. Everyday, Nigeria loses about 2,300 under five olds and 145 women of child bearing age. Serah Makka-Ugbabe, pointed out that with such health data, Nigeria is ranked as the second largest contributor to under five and maternal mortality rate in the world. To her, this prevailing health related data, represent nothing short of a national crisis. The Thursday evening's celebration put together by ONE Campaign was designed to celebrate a recent milestone recorded by the NGO, her partners, federal government and the nation's national assembly, with respect to the implementation of the 2014 National Health Act(NHA). The Act provides a legal and policy framework for basic health care provision. ONE celebrated the actualization of her many years advocacy, seeking for allocation of 1% of the Consolidated Revenue Fund(CRF) for the Basic Health Care Provision Fund(BHCPF). Despite it took the nation's government more than a decade to pass the Act into law after numerous campaigns were staged by civil society and medical communities, the NGO celebrated her success stories. Our efforts and campaigns all these years had not being in vain, we still had many success stories to tell the world, Makka-Ugbabe said. We are happy that for the first time since 2014, when the Act was passed into law, the federal government has provided N55.15 billion to fund the BHCPF. With this fund made available, Makka-Ugbabe was confident, the fund will now deliver basic health care services to all Nigerians through the primary healthcare system. Now, Nigeria can finally begin to properly implement the most significant piece of health policy in its recent history, Serah-Makka Ugbabe pointed out. ONE Campaign, while celebrating the actualization of the 1% allocation to the BHCPF, also called upon the federal government to ensure timely release of the allocated funds to relevant implementation agencies. The NGO also suggested that for the best result, an effective implementation of the fund will be achieved through open contracting practices. ONE Campaign in appreciation thanked all her ONE Ambassador celebrities, active citizens, civil society coalition partners, media and other professional bodies, who through the 'Make Naija Stronger' campaigns, made the NGO's success stories a reality today. Her Excellency, Mrs Toyin Saraki and Senator Lanre Tejuoso, respectively, their welcome remarks and keynote address at the Thursday's evening event. Some highlight of the evening's event were the screening of the 'Make Naija Stronger' Video; recognition of partners; presentation of media award as well as a plenary session which discussed indepth issues around how the NGO used advocacy approaches to achieve the 1% allocation and how the fund was won. SOURCE: Asaba Post News Wire (ONLINE)igeria's Health Situation, A National Crisis....NGO * X-Rays NHA's History, Challenges & Way Forward Okonta Emeka Okelum, Abuja A Nigerian based non government organization, recently described the nation's health reality as a national crisis. This position was made public on Thursday, this week, during an event organized by ONE Campaign planned for the 'Make Naija Stronger' celebration. Speaking to journalists, Serah Makka-Ugbabe, country director, ONE Campaign, decried the ugly prevailing national health situation and described it a a national crisis. According to her, Nigeria has the second largest HIV epidemic in the world with 3.2 million infected people. Everyday, Nigeria loses about 2,300 under five olds and 145 women of child bearing age. Serah Makka-Ugbabe, pointed out that with such health data, Nigeria is ranked as the second largest contributor to under five and maternal mortality rate in the world. To her, this prevailing health related data, represent nothing short of a national crisis. The Thursday evening's celebration put together by ONE Campaign was designed to celebrate a recent milestone recorded by the NGO, her partners, federal government and the nation's national assembly, with respect to the implementation of the 2014 National Health Act(NHA). The Act provides a legal and policy framework for basic health care provision. ONE celebrated the actualization of her many years advocacy, seeking for allocation of 1% of the Consolidated Revenue Fund(CRF) for the Basic Health Care Provision Fund(BHCPF). Despite it took the nation's government more than a decade to pass the Act into law after numerous campaigns were staged by civil society and medical communities, the NGO celebrated her success stories. Our efforts and campaigns all these years had not being in vain, we still had many success stories to tell the world, Makka-Ugbabe said. We are happy that for the first time since 2014, when the Act was passed into law, the federal government has provided N55.15 billion to fund the BHCPF. With this fund made available, Makka-Ugbabe was confident, the fund will now deliver basic health care services to all Nigerians through the primary healthcare system. Now, Nigeria can finally begin to properly implement the most significant piece of health policy in its recent history, Serah-Makka Ugbabe pointed out. ONE Campaign, while celebrating the actualization of the 1% allocation to the BHCPF, also called upon the federal government to ensure timely release of the allocated funds to relevant implementation agencies. The NGO also suggested that for the best result, an effective implementation of the fund will be achieved through open contracting practices. ONE Campaign in appreciation thanked all her ONE Ambassador celebrities, active citizens, civil society coalition partners, media and other professional bodies, who through the 'Make Naija Stronger' campaigns, made the NGO's success stories a reality today. Her Excellency, Mrs Toyin Saraki and Senator Lanre Tejuoso, respectively, their welcome remarks and keynote address at the Thursday's evening event. Some highlight of the evening's event were the screening of the 'Make Naija Stronger' Video; recognition of partners; presentation of media award as well as a plenary session which discussed indepth issues around how the NGO used advocacy approaches to achieve the 1% allocation and how the fund was won. SOURCE: Asaba Post News Wire (ONLINE)