The Pilot scheme of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), launched in January 2019 will be flagged off in Osun, Niger, Katsina and Abia States.
The Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole said in Abuja that the programme was the Nigerian Government’s direct response to addressing high inequalities in access to quality HealthCare and eliminating out of pocket expenses for Primary health care services, to improve health outcomes.
To achieve that goal, the Minister explained, that the Fund would provide Primary Health Care Centre, per ward, identified by States (based on defined criteria) with operational budgets to enable those facilities improve service delivery.
Public Health Emergency Response
Also, the BHCPF, now known as HUWE, would reimburse facilities for delivering the specified package of services which include:- Ante-natal care, Delivery (including Caesarean Sections), family planning, treatment of childhood under Five(5) illnesses, malaria treatment for all and screening for Non- Communicable Disease.
He stated that HUWE had also made provision for the increased Public Health Emergency Response to ensure that Nigerians were able to receive Emergency Medical treatment.
He said that services covered under the program, would be delivered in both Public and Private Care Facilities thus ensuring that facilities focused on quality improvement to gain market share.
HUWE will be funded through not less than 1% of the Consolidated Revenue of the Federation as stipulated in the National Health Act, 2014.
It also provides room for funding from Donor Organisations and other sources.
Source: VON
