Meanwhile, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) has donaated $ 1.5 million to the Basic Health Care Provision Fund account, and also pledged to commit additional $75 million into the account in the next five years. Also, Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote has promised to mobilise N2billion from the private sector to support the healthcare fund.Speaking at the event in Abuja, Buhari expressed his commitment to fulfilling all his campaign promises, noting that the second National Strategic Health Development Plan, which was approved by FEC in September, was part of plans to achieve the Universal Health Coverage in Nigeria. He noted that government in recognition of the need to invest in the people, provided N55 billion from the one per cent Consolidated Revenue Fund for the Basic Health Care Provision Fund. This, he, said was in fulfillment of the provisions of the National Health Act 2014, adding that the implementation would focus more on the people living in the rural areas like children under five years, as well as women and the elderly.He lamented that out of pocket payment for health constitute over 70 per cent of total health expenditure in Nigeria. He expressed concern that functioning primary healthcare system and a mandatory healthcare insurance scheme are critical to attaining the Universal Health Coverage in Nigeria.

Source: The Guardian January 09, 2019 04:30 UTC