Sector experts convened under the aegis of Nextier Universal Health Coverage bi-monthly policy discourse, have challenged the Federal Government to urgently intervene and address the numerous difficulties faced by Nigeria’s primary healthcare system.
The experts and stakeholders in the health sector, during the policy discourse held last week in Abuja, noted that primary health care was critical because of its closeness to the people and thus requires full government commitment.
The discourse had the theme: “Revitalising Nigeria’s Primary Health Care System”; while the panelists included: Prof. Chima Onoka; Head of Operations at the Health Policy Research Group, Dr Sam Agbo; Senior Health Advisor at the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office, Nigeria, Dr Emmanuel Okpetu; Head, Primary Health Care, Kuje Area Council.
Others were, Dr Ibrahim Mustapha, the representative of Prof. Akin Abayomi, Lagos State Commissioner of Health, who delivered a keynote address. Dr Uju Onyes, a health policy and financing expert, moderated the event.
The forum explored the major challenges affecting efficient service delivery in primary health care facilities across the country, with the experts decrying the absence of adequate medical personnel as one of the teething challenges.
Specifically, they advocated for bridging the human resource gap by implementing and expanding the scope of task shifting and task sharing. They also recommended recruiting graduates from other health science-related disciplines to bridge the human resource gap.
The participants further recommended that training community health workers and designing incentive mechanisms to motivate and retain health workers at the community level are potent approaches to bridging the human resource gap at the primary level of care.
The experts also stressed the need to address the fragmented governance system by clearly defining roles and responsibilities and ensuring that each party has the power and resources to perform its duties.
They advised stakeholders in the states and national levels to focus on bridging gaps at the primary level, entrenching accountability rather than directly implementing programs.
The experts further recommended systems to hold leaders accountable for results, while also charging citizens to engage and hold the government accountable for implementing health care policies and plans.
Participants also recommended more effective and efficient use of resources, just as they encouraged the government, private sector, development partners and civil society organisations to play their role in revitalising Nigeria’s primary health care system.
Nextier is a public policy firm that works to solve the complex development challenges in Africa. The initiative is part of the effort to build the society the people desire.
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