APC governors commit themselves to spending 15% of their annual budgets on healthcare

STATES controlled by Nigeria's governing All Progressives Congress (APC) have committed themselves to allocating 15% of their annual budgets to healthcare delivery as part of a radical health programme.

Over the weekend, this decision was taken at a meeting of commissioners of health and executive secretaries of primary health care delivery in APC states. Details of the development was contained in a communiqué signed by the Kwara State health commissioner Dr Raji Razaq and the director-general of the Progressives Governors Forum, Salihu Lukman.

It said after considering all the presentations and recognising the commitment of the party as provided in its manifesto, the meeting stressed the need for APC states to align themselves with the federal government’s declaration of 15% annual allocation to health care services. In addition, the health commissioners agreed that each of the APC states should  undertake to establish a sustainable healthcare financing system such as health insurance or health emergency trust fund.

They also agreed that APC states should domesticate primary healthcare under one roof in line with federal government policy initiative under the National Primary Health Care Development Authority. At the moment, 22 of Nigeria's 36 state governors belong to the APC of President Muhammadu Buhari.