Nigerians Need More Awareness on Utilization of 32.9bn Basic Health Care Funds -- Dr. Yahaya
By Ahmad SAKA, Bauchi
Bauchi State stakeholders have urged the Coordinating Minister of Health, Professor Mohammed Ali Pate, to ensure improved governance of health financing by educating poor and vulnerable citizens about their rights and the utilization of 32.9 billion Naira basic health care funds allocated to over 8,000 health facilities.
The spokesman for the group, Dr. Yahaya Ibrahim, Director of Andiwa Farmers Association, said this in Azare, the headquarters of Katagum Local Government Area of the state. He said rural people, peasant farmers, and vulnerable communities need to be educated more on how to access health care facilities and to know that a significant amount of money is being kept for them at specific health facilities. Since the majority of them are illiterate, they don't even know the facilities where the ministry has allocated their money.
Dr. Yahaya said he saw a letter circulating on social media by a reputable organization, BudgIT, under the Freedom of Information Act, asking the Minister of Health to provide information on the utilization of these funds. However, several weeks after the ministry received the letter, they didn't hear anything from the ministry, which is against the rule of law because it is the law that established the ministry, and it's the law that appointed the minister, and it's the law that asks him to explain within seven days, not only to BudgIT but to Nigerians, about the utilization of these funds. Keeping silent will not help matters. Everyone knows President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a democrat who respects the rule of law.
Dr. Yahaya said everyone knows BudgIT Foundation is a civic tech organization raising the standards of transparency, accountability, and service delivery in the Nigerian government and governance. It uses creative technology to simplify public information, stimulate a community of active citizens, and enable their right to demand accountability, institutional reforms, efficient service delivery, and an equitable society.
Tracka, a program under BudgIT, has been supporting communities to track government/constituency projects in the community for the sole purpose of ensuring that these projects are delivered for the development of the community and the improvement of the lives of citizens.
"They wrote, pursuant to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011, to formally request access to information regarding the recent third-round funding disbursement through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund. Specifically, the request includes the following information:
The complete list of the 8,000+ health facilities that are meant to benefit from the recent third-round funding amounting to N32.9 billion.The precise location (including state and local government area) of each of these benefiting facilities.
The amount allocated and disbursed to each of the 8,000 facilities.
As an independent monitoring body, Tracka has been actively involved in tracking and monitoring some of the revitalized Primary Health Care Centres (PHCs) across Nigeria. We are committed to driving transparency and accountability in this important project, ensuring that funds are effectively utilized for the intended purpose of improving primary healthcare delivery.
"We believe that access to this information will enable BudgIT to continue with their oversight role and contribute positively to the success of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund initiative. In the spirit of transparency and accountability, as stipulated in the Freedom of Information Act, 2011..."
He said, "It is a welcome development that a reputable transparency and accountability organization like BudgIT is asking to know how funds allocated to the healthcare of the common man are utilized by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, under Prof. Mohammed Ali Pate.
Apart from the N32.9 billion naira third-round basic healthcare funds approved by President Bola Tinubu for the benefit of the common man, there are other private donations by local and international donor agencies and development partners. The utilization of such donations is usually shrouded in mystery. I want to call on BudgIT to write to the ministry again to also ask questions about the utilization of all donations made by local and international agencies such as the Dangote Foundation, TY Danjuma Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Carter Foundation, and many others. BudgIT should demand to know from these agencies how much they donated to Nigeria and how the funds are utilized."
Dr. Yahaya said, "I recently read that the Minister has set up what he calls the 'Oversight Committee/Basic Health Care Provision Fund Secretariat,' which will work together with the ICPC to track the proper utilization of these funds. While this may sound noble, the Minister's attention must be drawn to the fact that these funds were entrusted into his hands. As such, he should allow a neutral, non-governmental organization like BudgIT to do the tracking on behalf of ordinary Nigerians for whose healthcare the funds were meant.
Additionally, the Minister should know that his choice of his home state of Bauchi to launch the tracking exercise has left people asking questions about the real motive of the whole exercise."
Dr. Yahaya said, "It will be good if the minister will do his best to ensure that our hospitals are well-equipped with needed radiologist equipment and other test equipment to enable patients to undergo a series of tests in the hospital. Because of a lack of equipment, my brother suffered at Federal Medical Centre Azare. Today, if you don't know anybody in a government health facility, you will find it difficult before a doctor or health personnel will see you. Our son spent more than one week getting a medical certificate in a government hospital."
He said, "Our people are afraid to complain about the conduct of some personnel in hospitals, so the minister should solicit the support of secret security services that will monitor how things are going in government hospitals, even polio immunization. He should do something to sanitize the system, especially the conduct of some personnel."
He advised Nigerians to remove fear and put more interest in their rights and complain whenever they see things are not going in the right way as expected.
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HEALTH CARE