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Dr. Rilwanu Mohammed Abdulkadir Executive Chairman, BASPHCDA
By Akanji Olowolodu, Bauchi
Executive Chairman of the Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (BASPHCDA), Dr Rilwanu Mohammed has lamented that inadequate release of budgetary allocations to the Agency is making operations very difficult.
He also said that such may be a hindrance to the achievement of the objectives of Universal Health Care (UHC) thereby calling on relevant CSOs to step up advocacy for a positive change of the narrative.
Rilwanu Mohammed was speaking on Thursday during the Quarterly Health Financing Technical Working Group and UHC scorecard dissemination held at the Command Guest House, Bauchi, by the State Ministry of Health in collaboration with USAID-IHP.
According to him, “We need an advocacy to the Governor about budget release, I have a lot of approvals, but the release has become a problem, it is a very big challenge in the budget and planning.”
He also said that, “We also need to pay advocacy visits to the Commissioner of Finance, Budget and Planning and the Accountant General. We need cohesion in this group. IHP, BAsam and others should advocate for budget release which has been very difficult and of concern, it is giving us much problem.”
The BASPHCDA EC added that, “We have the budget allocation, but, where is the release, the highest for the Agency, we have 35 percent, one of the highest in the State Ministry of Health every year, is that right? I don’t know whether the basam have done something about that or they will come and tell us another story.”
Rilwanu Mohammed however expressed delight that the advocacy for 15 percent allocation of the total budget to the health sector in Bauchi state has been achieved saying that,”and we know that it will be improved upon subsequently.”
According to him, “Only yesterday, the Governor received an award given to the State by the organizers of the Primary Healthcare Leadership Challenge as the Best Improved Primary Healthcare Service delivery in the North East subregion and got the sum of 400,000 USD (N185.3m).
He however said that, “but the sad thing is that they are going to tell us where to spend it on. It is to be used to improve on the primary healthcare services delivery across the state.”
“Let me first of all commend USAID-IHP for doing great things in Bauchi state to boost UHC and the issue of accountability in the health sector which is very key to achieving the objectives of the UHC. I also want to commend BaSAM which is interested in health financing, I particularly commend the Chairman for always asking questions about the budgetary allocations to the health sector,” he said.
The EC stressed that,”This very important meeting is always coming by BaSAM with support from USAID-IHP. One thing that we are worried about the UHC, is the issue of contributory agencies not reaching to where they are supposed to reach, the funds are there in our facilities, PHCs, but the people are not aware that they should go and access it.”
He said that, “We are still talking to them on how to do that through the community structure so that they will use that funding that are in our facilities to improve their healthcare, UHC is not a fashion, it is a thing that must be done.”
“I told them that the community structure in the primary healthcare, number one permanent structure is WDC and we have it in all our PHCs, 30 percent of WDC must be women, as soon as the Assembly complete the amendment to the bill. At the village development committee, 30 percent must be women, we are gender sensitive,” he stressed.
Rilwanu Mohammed further said that,”We have about 6000 Mama2Mama volunteers, in each ward of the state, 20 women who can be used as Vanguards of achieving UHC, registered as vulnerable groups to access the care, we have 1,035 agents who can also be used by the registered people to access the care to which the contributory Agency is paying about in each facility, a lot of money.”
He said that, “about N25m is available for the people in all our PHCs, but people are not coming to access the programme, with this, UHC will be a little bit difficult for us in bauchi state, now.”
The EC concluded saying, “Our media that are here, they are always acting as Vanguards to look into what is right and to do what is right. Please, if you see anything wrong, please, let us know, we are here to make sure that we improve on healthcare delivery services, living conditions of the people, maternal mortality and infant mortality.”
Earlier, State Commissioner of Health, Dr Sabiu Abdu Gwalabe had commended USAID for its various interventions aimed at improving the health and other sectors for development.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Idris Saleh Giade, the Commissioner commended the active involvement of the USAID agencies, IHP, State2State and Breakthrough Action Nigeria in the implementation of the various projects and programmes in the state.
He then assured that the State Government through the relevant MDAs will continue to partner with USAID and other development partners for the development of state health sector.
