Nigerian youth tasks Buhari to treat health as national security

TRACKING____As Nigeria celebrates the 2020 Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Day, the Nigerian Youth Champions for Universal Health Coverage (NYC4UHC), has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to see health as a national security issue that requires urgent attention.

Speaking during a press conference in Abuja on Saturday, the NYC4UHC acting chair person, Pitan Oyeyemi noted that despite the creation of Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) to strengthen primary healthcare infrastructure in the country, the health situation in is still very dire.

She disclosed that child mortality rate has remained high due to weak PHC systems adding that children still die from preventable diseases in Nigeria.

While stressing that the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the gaps and inequalities in the nations health sector, she added that Nigeria need to invest more in health to achieve the UHC.

“Nigeria has started this journey towards Universal Health Coverage but at a very slow pace, out-of-pocket expenses for health care still remain high, the budget for health at all levels of government very low, and health insurance penetration remains low.

“The birth of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) in 2014, as part of the National Health Act presents an opportunity to promote a comprehensive and coherent approach to health through health systems strengthening (HSS) in Nigeria.

“We all know that basic health care is essential for the attainment of UHC.

NYC4UHC understands that there are a lot of needs to be met at this critical time across all sectors in our nation due to the pandemic but we urge President Muhammad Buhari, the Health Minister, Finance Minister, Budget and Planning Minister, as well as other relevant agencies to see health as a national security issue that needs urgent attention so that our nation can emerge stronger after the pandemic”, Oyeyemi added.

Ealier, the National Coordinator, Africa Health Budget Network, (AHBN) Dr. Aminu Magashi stressed the need for policy makers to ensure that the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), covers all Nigerians.

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He also urged the state insurance scheme to provide access to everybody at the state level and to also ensure that every youth access health care without financial hardship.

Magashi who appealed to the Federal Government to engage the youths in all its programmes added that youths should be considered as front liners in the COVID-19 vaccine expected in the country in the first quarter of 2021.