Govt to spend N23bn on health

ayodele johnson

March 11, 2017 6:40 PM

The state expressed its resolve to prioritise healthcare delivery by allocating 16 per cent to the sector in the 2017 fiscal year.

The Bauchi State Government says it will invest N23 billion on providing improved healthcare services between 2016 and 2020.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Halima Muqaddas, disclosed this during the presentation of the state Health Policy Document on Friday in Bauchi.

Muqaddas said the document took the international and national implementing partners, civil society organisations about one year to develop.

“The new policies have already started working before now.

“Some of the policies are Strategic Health Plan, Human Resource for Health, Task Shifting Policies and Quality Assurance among others,” she said.

Speaking, the Deputy Governor, Mr Nuhu Gidado, who represented the state governor, expressed the resolve of the present administration to prioritise the healthcare delivery by allocating 16 per cent to the sector in the 2017 fiscal year.

“Huge amount of money was invested to ensure that quality healthcare was provided.

“The state is committed to the provision of portable water and chlorination of wells to fight water born disease,” he said.

Gidado noted that the state College of Nursing and Midwifery, which would soon commence academic activities, would further produce more qualified human resources for improved healthcare delivery.

He appreciated the support of the implementing partners for their commitment and readiness to work in the state.

He said the state would continue to provide an enabling environment for cordial relationship and implementation of the policies.

In his Goodwill massage, the State Coordinator, International Maternal/New Born Programme, Mr Nasir Musa, said the organisation has supported the development of the document and would further support its implementation to ensure quality healthcare in the state.

He said with human resource at the centre of all other policies, maternal, neonatal and child mortality would be reduced to the barest minimum.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that other implementing partners include the Population Council and the World Health Organisation.

ayodele johnson