LASG WILL REVITALISE PUBLIC HEALTHCARE SYSTEM – HEALTH COMMISSIONER

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        … To Partner With Local Governments, Private Sector

Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi has once again reiterated the commitment of the present administration to revitalise the Primary Health Care (PHC) system to provide quality, efficient and accessible healthcare services for citizens and attain the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) goal.

Abayomi, who disclosed this recently at a Breakfast meeting organised by the Franco-Nigerian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, stated that the PHC system, which comprises of the primary healthcare centres, forms the foundational structure at the community level of any UHC strategy.

The Commissioner noted that across the whole of Nigeria, a good number of primary healthcare centres are dilapidated and not able to provide the services required.

“The situation is not very different in Lagos. Therefore, it is imperative that we begin to engage all tiers of government to find the right funding and operational model. In addition, the right statutory governance oversight is required to ensure that we jointly take responsibility for these centres through efficient management systems”, he said.

Abayomi observed that the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Lagos State Health Reform Act placed huge responsibilities and roles on the Local Government Area (LGA) health authority and Ward Committees to be responsible for the functionality of the PHCs.

He opined that concerted advocacy efforts at this tier of government are required to initiate the revitalisation process and long term sustainability of the PHC system.

According to him, the success of the government’s mandatory health insurance scheme, known as the Lagos State Health Scheme, aimed at delivering basic health care to the majority of the residents of Lagos to help attain UHC is dependent on a functional PHC system.

While noting that the Lagos State government had developed policies and is currently implementing strategies aimed at reviving the PHC system, Abayomi opined that the resources of the State Government are under strain, as such, there is a growing need for the State and Local Governments to partner with the private sector for innovative solutions.

One of such innovations, he revealed, is the ‘Access to Finance Scheme’ where the State in the previous dispensation, had commenced a pilot where 43 of underutilised PHCs would be allocated to the private sector for revitalisation in a PPP arrangement. 

In his words, “These private sector players would also have access to concessionary repayable loans bankrolled through blended financing which would ensure they have the capital for start-up and provision of affordable services to the enrolees of the State mandatory health insurance scheme”.

“But for this pilot project to be potentially effective, further stakeholders’ engagements at the community and LG level is necessary to get the buy-in of the necessary structures to ensure the pilot is viable”, the Commissioner stated.

He explained that the present administration, as part of the THEMES mandate, has pledged to gradually increase the allocation to health from the present eight per cent to approach 15 per cent over the tenure, stressing that the proposition is aimed towards achieving UHC and in line with the Abuja declaration of allocating 15 per cent of budget to health.

“Although, an allocation is different from drawdown on the approved budgetary allocation. All efforts will henceforth be made to ensure that funding is available for capital and recurrent expenditure to ensure public facilities are well maintained and running efficiently. Moving forward, we will prioritise income generation projects, efficiencies and cost containment”, Abayomi assured.

Outlining the demographic profile of Lagos as a challenge that needs to be addressed in attaining UHC, the Commissioner stated that the population of Lagos State has surpassed 20 million and rising daily, thus qualifying it as a hyper city. 

He explained that this situation is brought about by constant migration of people into the city, either induced by the insurgencies and climatic forces north of Lagos or the attraction of the economic viability of Lagos.

Abayomi noted that “This brings about a great strain on the existing facilities in the State by people who require healthcare services and also threatens its biosecurity. This is why there is an urgent need for all relevant stakeholders, including the Federal Government, to be involved in the propagation of primary care to congregate and brainstorm on the appropriate financing mechanism to rejuvenate this system”. 

“As a matter of priority, we are going to deeply engage with the LG structures and the House of Assembly on this critical issue. It is of utmost importance that all stakeholders agree on a collective and unified common agenda on a way forward and the State Ministry of Health will go to all lengths to find a funding model and administrative support to the local government structures in this endeavour”, he said.