By Ahmed Ahmed
The Bauchi State House of Assembly has reiterated its commitment to ensuring affordable and quality healthcare service delivery to all citizens in the state.
Mr Danlami Kawule,Deputy Speaker, gave the assurance when Bauchi based CSOs, Journalists for Public Health Development and Initiative (J4PD) and Partners paid an advocacy visit to the assembly on Tuesday in Bauchi-.
Kawule, stressed that affordable and quality healthcare service delivery is what the people need in order to promote a healthy society.
“The House is always ready to collaborate with international partners in ensuring that gaps in the health and education sectors are bridged because the government alone cannot do everything.
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He assured that the members will key into the health contributory scheme by enrollment of constituents in their respective constituencies in order to make accessibility to healthcare services easier.
Earlier, Coordinator of J4PD, Mrs Elizabeth Kah stressed the importance of the health insurance scheme which has been made to become compulsory for every Nigerian as contained in the National Health Insurance Act.
She also said that by keying into the health contributory scheme, the Members will become promoters of effective healthcare delivery services across the state which is the main objective of the scheme.
She added that universal health coverage can only be achieved when people particularly in the rural areas are effectively covered in the health insurance scheme.
The J4PD Coordinator also advocated for the realization of the 15% budgetary allocation to the health sector in line with the Abuja declaration saying that every allocation to the sector should be distinct from others.
Also speaking, Dr Siaka Alhassan, State Director of USAID stressed the importance of the health insurance scheme.
“It will enhance quality, affordable and effective healthcare delivery services to the people particularly those in the rural areas.
He urged Members through their oversight functions, to ensure that allocations were promptly released and utilized for the purposes meant for.
According to him, “The international partners want to see that funds made available for a particular project were expended as required.
On her part Mrs Rabi Ekele of USAID State2State reiterated the need for the implementation of the 15% allocation to the health sector to boost quality healthcare service delivery in the state.
