Resident doctors urge FG to prioritize healthcare in budget allocation

The Association of Resident Doctors have urged the federal Government to prioritize healthcare during budget allocation to enable Nigerians receive quality healthcare as well as to reduce the burden of diseases in the country.

They also called on the government to enable all Nigerians have equal access to the Universal Healthcare Coverage (UHC), as they deserve the right to receive quality healthcare delivery and services which contributes to National development.

Speaking at the 2017 General Meeting and Scientific Conference at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobo, Lagos, with the theme: ‘’Universal Health Care: Myth or Unsolved Mystery’’, the Chairman, Health and Managed Care Association of Nigeria (HMCAN), Dr. Babatunde Ladele, said there must be a strong political will and substantial funding by the government, employing innovative ways of increasing fiscal space through direct and indirect taxation.

He added that the UHC make provision for every citizen regardless of his or her social status, without subjecting anyone to financial hardship, as individual’s contribution should not be more than 30 percent of the total health expenditure.

He said: ‘’Universal health coverage (UHC) means that all people can have access to needed health services, including prevention, promotion, curative, rehabilitation and palliation of sufficient quality to be effective. Its intermediate objectives are the part ways through which health financing policy or reforms, structured around the different functions, have an effect on the final coverage goals of UHC, the objectives are; Equity in resource distribution, Efficiency, Transparency and accountability. Also the three final goals of UHC are; to ensure utilization of health services relative to need, to guarantee quality of health services and for final protection and equity.

Also speaking, the General Secretary, Association of Resident Doctors, Dr. Okanu Francis said the UHC is a myth as there has been issues facing the NHIS and the Senate, adding that with the UHC which covers so many services such as specialize surgeries, gynecology Hematology and other soft specialties in medicine, there was need to urgently resolve the crisis.

‘’Health care is central to life, it is both an asset and a tool for wealth creation and acquisition, as a result, individually and corporately there is always a drive to ensure a healthy status and where ill health sets in, efforts and resources are deployed to restore health so as to protect well being and the instrumental value of health. In a view, of the important role of good health; it is most desirable that all persons have access to good health care,” he said.