The Federal government has declared that it cannot bridge the health sector procurement gap of $29m alone and is seeking the assistance of the private sector to address the issue as it begins the implementation of the sector’s Four Point Agenda, the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate has said.
He said though, enduring policies to revitalize the sector have been put in place, the participation of the private sector is critical to the success of the policies.
Pate, during a high-level private sector forum on family planning in Lagos on Thursday explained that engagement with core private sector organizations and players is critical to ignite effective partnerships and make crucial decisions on the appropriate roadmap to developing a long-term sustainability plan for greater impact on health and expanded family planning products and services in the country.
While stating the constraints faced by the government on the issei, Pate said, “It is worthy of note that in the last five years, the cost of procurement has risen from $26,685,834.33 in 2019 to $41,852,705.15 in 2023.
“Over the same period, the procurement funding gap has increased from $5,794,330.95 in 2019 to $29,054,665.15 in 2023 making it impossible to achieve full supply of family planning commodities to health facilities”.
Represented by the Director of Family Health, Stella Nwosu, the Minister lamented that Nigeria is currently confronted with grave social and economic development challenges due to the nation’s dwindling revenues which have become inadequate to cater for our high population of about 211 million making her the most populous in Africa and 7th in the world.
“This is further compounded by our poor health indices including a very high maternal mortality ratio of 512 deaths per 100,000 live births, a very low modern Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (mCPR) of 12%, and an Unmet Need for Family Planning of 19% (NDHS 2018)”, he said.
In a statement by Patricia Deworitshe, the Ministry’s Director of Media and Public Relations, Pate however assured that the government is not discouraged since it was its responsibility to find solutions to the challenges
“At the just concluded 64th National Council on Health Meeting, Council approved the request for establishment and funding of Budget Lines for Family Planning at both National and Sub-National levels for the implementation of Nigeria’s Family Planning programme.
“However, while this is a positive step, it must be said that effectively addressing the funding and other challenges facing Nigeria’s family planning programme goes beyond the public sector.
“A broad-based stakeholder engagement process involving the public, social marketing as well as the private sectors is required.
In her remarks, the wife of the Lagos State Governor, Dr. Mrs. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary Health District 6, Abimbola Mabogunje noted the growing population in the nation has its attendant challenges such as increased rate of unemployment, high rate of poverty, poor access to sanitation, poor health, lack of or poor education and increased crime rates.
She noted that one effective tool for tackling the problems is for families to have the number of children they can cater for, adding, “Although the government is making frantic efforts to make access to modern family planning free for women, there is a need for all relevant stakeholders in the health sector to join forces with the government to chart a course towards effective funding of family planning services”.
