Council approves health care provision fund guideline

The National Council on Health (NCH) has approved the 2020 Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) Guideline aimed at expanding the fiscal space for health.

The spokesperson of the Federal Ministry of Health, Olujimi Oyetomi, announced this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

According to the statement, the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, described the BHCPF, enshrined in the National Health Act 2014, as an irrevocable testament of Nigeria’s commitment to achieving universal health coverage.

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“It is a large-scale reform, aimed at expanding the fiscal space for health and shifting financial resources to the frontlines of care.

“The BHCPF represents a sustainable model for ensuring equity and financial risk protection for the nation’s vulnerable populations by guaranteeing effective access to a basic minimum package of health services.

“It is funded from not less than one per cent of the consolidated revenue fund, financial grants from local and international donor partners, the private sector and philanthropic individuals.

“It is envisaged that the prudent application of the fund will positively reverse the national health indices and place the country firmly on the path to Universal Health Coverage,” the statement said.

It also said that the BCHPF had undergone processes which allayed the earlier objections from the state governors who were not willing to accommodate the health financing arrangement.

It added that the NCH meeting which approved the BHCPF was the second in the series of emergency meetings held virtually with Mr Ehanire presiding.

(NAN)