Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Health, Honourable Amos Magaji, has accused the Federal Government of not meeting the declared target of allocating at least 15 per cent of its annual budget to health.
Speaking on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, The Morning Brief on Wednesday, Magaji said that despite improvements in capital spending within the sector, Nigeria’s health budget remains below 10 per cent, far short of the commitment made in Abuja over two decades ago.
“I can tell you authoritatively, the primary healthcare system in Nigeria, though not where it’s meant to be, is not where it used to be,” Magaji said. “With the Basic Health Care Provision Fund that was provided to boost and strengthen the primary healthcare sector, it has received massive support.”
He noted, however, that the biggest challenge facing the sector remains inadequate budgetary allocation. “Up till now, Nigeria has not been able to realize the Abuja Declaration. Unfortunately, it was done here in Abuja, where it was agreed and many African nations were signatories, that the budget for health should be nothing less than 15% of the annual national budget,” he said.
Comparing Nigeria’s figures with those of other nations, Magaji explained that the health budget, when analyzed on a per capita basis, remains significantly low.
“In 2020, if Nigeria’s budget per capita was about $2,700 as against some developed countries with over $11,000 per capita, you will realize that even though the figures may appear large, the impact is weak due to infrastructural decay, population size, and overall demand in the country,” he stated.
He further noted that while the capital component of the health budget has seen a significant increase in recent years, the overall allocation remains insufficient to meet national healthcare needs
Magaji stressed that achieving the Abuja target is crucial for Nigeria’s health system to function effectively and deliver sustainable primary healthcare to its growing population.
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