House of Representatives Committee on Healthcare Services ,Monday, visited health facilities in Enugu state to ascertain the receipt and usage of the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF), commending the State Government for its effective utilisation of the Fund.
They gave the commendation when they paid a courtesy visit on the Governor of Enugu state, Dr. Peter Mbah in Government House,Enugu., after their oversight tour.
The committee led by it’s chairman, Hon. Amos Magaji, described the intervention as a lifeline for strengthening healthcare delivery at the grassroots, urging Nigerians to always access primary healthcare services at the Primary healthcare centres, adding that people should trust the system and walk up to the primary healthcare facility for their basic health needs.
He said that it has become necessary inorder to allow the secondary and tertiary facilities to concentrate on what they were established for.
Honorable Magaji said the BHCPF introduced by the Federal Government has four gateways, namely, to revive and strengthen primary healthcare, health insurance, emergency medical response and ambulance services across the country.
Hon. Magaji
He explained that the fund, which began with one per cent of the Consolidated Revenue Fund, was being reviewed towards two per cent to address years of decay in the primary healthcare system, which is largely the responsibility of state and local governments.
The Lawmaker said the committee has toured about 30 states to assess the impact of the fund and to ensure states were providing their counterpart funding.
According to him, their findings from the field gave rise to discussions at the National Assembly on the need to increase funding due to its visible impact, despite challenges of inadequate resources, especially manpower.
.from L-R: Commissioner for health, Prof(Dr) George Ugwu, Deputy Governor Ifeanyi Ossai ,and the federal Lawmakers
He commended Enugu state government on its commitment to the development of the health sector particularly in the Primary Healthcare centres
Hon Magaji urged the state government to continue strengthening human resources for health, stressing that healthcare delivery goes beyond building facilities to ensuring they are adequately manned by qualified personnel.
He acknowledged the state’s plan to recruit over 2,000 health workers and expressed optimism that the manpower gap would be bridged within a few years.
The committee also called on the state to deepen health insurance coverage, in line with the national mandate that every Nigerian should be enrolled, with particular attention to vulnerable groups and workers in the informal sector
The Lawmaker assured the state of the committee’s readiness to work closely with it to address any challenges relating to healthcare funding, policies or implementation, pledging continued partnership to bring quality healthcare closer to the people.
Deputy Governor , Ifeanyi Ossai
Responding on behalf of the state Governor , Dr. Peter Mbah, the Deputy Governor, Ifeanyi Ossai, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to prioritising public health, noting that a healthy population is fundamental to economic growth and social stability.
He highlighted ongoing efforts to expand healthcare infrastructure, recruit and retrain personnel, and restore public confidence in primary healthcare facilities.
He called for stronger collaboration between the state and federal governments, especially in addressing challenges in federal tertiary health institutions located in the state, and in removing bureaucratic bottlenecks that sometimes hinder access to federal healthcare support.
Commissioner for Health, Prof (Dr). George Ugwu
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Health, Prof (Dr.) George Ugwu, said the visit provided an opportunity for Enugu State to showcase its reforms and investments in Primary Healthcare across the wards in the state.
He disclosed that the committee toured selected model primary healthcare centres, where innovations such as electronic medical records and digital registration were demonstrated.
Prof Ugwu disclosed that the committee chairman personally registered digitally at one of the centres, expressing satisfaction with the systems in place
.He said the state government, under Governor Mbah, places strong emphasis on Primary Healthcare as the foundation for quality health services, particularly in rural communities.
The Commissioner said while significant progress has been made, the task remains enormous. He called for support to the state’s efforts to expand access to quality healthcar
