ABUJA— Due to continuous depreciation of Naira to other foreign currencies, stakeholders in the health sector have raised an alarm over inadequate budgetary provision of N304 billion for the Federal Ministry of Health in the 2017 national budget.
The stakeholders on the platform of Partnership for Advocacy in Child and Family Health, PACFAH, disclosed that the proposed health budget was cumulatively lower than that of 2016 due to foreign exchange challenges in the value of naira to the dollar.
In a statement on the State of Nigeria Health Budget – 2017 issued by the PACFAH, the stakeholders, noted that the proposed 2017 health budget was an improvement from past trends on the face value, especially the capital expenditure bit.
The statement read: “The total sum of N304 billion has been proposed for the Federal Ministry of Health, amounting to 83 percent for recurrent expenditures (salaries and overheads) and 17 percent for capital expenditure (health infrastructures and services).
“This 2017 proposed Ministry of Health budget is 4.17 percent of the national budget, a poor improvement on the 2016 budget of 4.13 percent. With about 80 about improvement in terms of capital expenditure of the 2017 proposed budget compared to that of 2016, the reality is that this proposed health budget is cumulatively lower than that of 2016 due to the skyrocketed foreign exchange value of a naira to dollar.”
“In 2016, the Central Bank of Nigeria pegged the exchange rate at N197/1USD. Mid-year of 2016 and for the 2017 proposed budget, the exchange rate is at N305/1USD. As a result, while 2016 Health budget was $1.269m, the proposed 2017 Health budget is less by 21 percent at $0.997m. This is important because most of our health services are reliant on importation.
“By extension, the National Health Act was signed into law in 2014, unfortunately the proposed 2017 budget does not make provision for it. If it did, the sum of N46bn would have been added and dedicated to health projects and services and would have gone a long way to improve the lives of Nigerians.”
“Lastly, the Federal Government committed to the Abuja Declaration of 2001, promising to allocate 15 percent of its budget to Health, year 2017 budget this is the 16th budget year, the best Nigeria has done in Health allocation was 5.95 in 2012. The 2017 proposed health budget is at 4.17 percent, a whopping 73 percent gap from the 15 percent benchmark.”
Health is Wealth. No sector of the Nigerian economy will function properly and at all if Health is not guaranteed. The Government need to urgently reconsider the inadequate 2017 proposed Health budget and upwardly review it to a minimum of 10 percent allocation while also considering the National Health Act (2014) and the Abuja Declaration.
The PACFaH NGO partners are include Association for the Advancement of Family Planning in Nigeria, AAFP; Family planning at Federal level; Civil Society Initiative for Scaling-up Nutrition in Nigeria, CS-SUNN; Community Health and Research Initiative, CHRI: Federation of Muslim Women Organisations of Nigeria, FOMWAN; Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria, HERFON and Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, PSN.
PACFaH is a health policy advocacy project led by Nigerian NGOs holding government to account to fulfil health policy and funding commitments.

www.vanguardngr.com/2017/01/forex-rubbishes-n304bn-health-budget-2017-2/

Okay.... But

God help our leaders to do the right thing




Check my signature for affordable and durable window blinds

Alhaji Sulah you see your life?

Interesting.

Who cares

What have you been spending the money on when in 2017, we still do prayers and expect divine intervention for healing.

Give them $500 billion.... They will still have nothing to show for it.

Xcelinteriors:
F

Sister why? It's too early for this. This is new year 2017

Where are the patriotic zombies, Nigeria is in auto reverse.

hmmmm......we are on a long thing

Na Ministry of Lai Mohammed(Information) come better pass health.
After na wetin we see eat where go make us sick.

Buhari and cbn won't listen this.... These stone hearted guys will not make forex available... Making life difficult for nigerians both home and abroad... God touch their heart this time bikooooo

This year looks bleak already for healthcare in Nigeria. Drug reps are already complaining that the new drugs blacklist which raises import duties for some medications has doubled landing costs of memedications. The resultant effect is that cost of care would shoot up and more patients would patronise roadside quacks, worsening an already terrible health system.

God pls make $1=1000naira so that my bitcoin wil rake in too many millions of naira.
God bless Buhari

I thought it couldn't get worse than last year, but poo just hit the roof mehn

kelvee:

The statement read: “The total sum of N304 billion has been proposed for the Federal Ministry of Health, amounting to 83 percent for recurrent expenditures (salaries and overheads) and 17 percent for capital . . .

. . . This is important because most of our health services are reliant on importation.

The question is how much of our health consumables is being imported. Any piece without this info is fraudulent at best.

[quote author=Sibrah post=52574995][/quote]

didn't they analysis and plan these things properly before bringing out the budget for the ministry...

they just want to give the same excuse of last year. Nothing to show of the money spent by the ministry.
So they prepare our mind for another empty jamboree.

When would Nigeria wakeup

hmmm na wa ooo

Ok

It's shameful that in most NL treads, many of these commenting have little or no idea of what the topic entails (apart from the catchy headline) but still proceed to unabashedly ventilate their gibberish 'thoughts/opinion' all the same. I bet the bulk can't even manage to finish reading the article; all you need is a religious or political word you oppose/support to take a stance - this is how roll in social media fora in this part of the world; these people personify our educational, religious and sociopolitical systems today (and tomorrow).
Your actions betray the essence of a forum like NL and the likes. It puts off genuine comments and opinions, which you should ideally avail yourselves to, but No! These brethren are too opposed to learning, they would rather brandish foolery and belligerence; hurling invectives at any person who opposes their naivety. Some won't even finish this comment before exercising their freedom of empty broadcast offered by the social media today. Are these the leaders of tomorrow? Little wonder may have African rulers don't want to relinquish power - they are too scared to let the younger generation tarnish everything they 'built'.
Truly, empty vessels will always make the loudest noise! God help us all.