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Nigeria ‘II Pursue Attainment Of Universal Healthcare -FG
The Federal Ministry of Health(FMoH), has said the focus on Primary Health Care (PHC), in the country is timely and well-placed, considering that PHC has been identified as the path to Universal Health Coverage(UHC), a goal the country continues to pursue.
The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, said this yesterday in Abuja at the 2022 edition of the annual National Health Dialogue.
The Tide source reports that the high-level platform was organised by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), in collaboration with Premium Times, to advance conversations around key health issues in Nigeria and Africa by extension.
The 2022 dialogue is themed: “Primary Health Care Financing; Role of State and Non-state Actors”.
Ehanire, who was represented by Director of Health Planning Research and Statistics, FMOH, Dr Ngozi Azodoh,said UHC was key to the health and well-being of all Nigerians as it guaranteed needed quality healthcare services for all persons without financial hardship.
He said that the country’s journey to UHC had been slow, but remarkable milestones have been achieved, adding that with heightened efforts to revitalise and strengthen the PHC system, he is confident that the country would inch closer to attaining UHC.
He said that several challenges have bedevilled the country’s healthcare system, describing some of these challenges as shortage and maldistribution of healthcare workers, dilapidated infrastructure, and weak referral systems.
He, however, said that limited financing for the PHC system stands out as a factor that has significantly limited the advancement of the healthcare system.
“The National Health Account reports published over the past decade indicate that expenditure on PHC has been sub-optimal, with significant spending on curative healthcare.
“The inadequacy in funding the PHC system has negatively impacted the delivery of services such as immunisation and maternal and child health services.
“Robust financing would require collaborative efforts of both state and non-state actors, while state actors in government continue to play their roles to ensure that more public resources are available for the PHC systems, a significant proportion of the progress with financing for PHC is dependent on the role of non-state actors,” he said.
The minister said that the private sector, civil society organisations, the media, faith-based organisations, trade unions, professional organisations, academia, community groups, and private citizens alike can all contribute to financing PHC in Nigeria.
He said the country has continued to make efforts to improve the proportion of resources allocated to the PHC system, noting that the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) has been a game changer and resulted in increased financing for the PHC system through the different gateways.
Speaking on “PHC financing, the role of government in achieving optimum PHC performance”, Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Faisal Shuaib, said that it has been recognised that health is a fundamental universal right for all.
The Managing Director, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Company Limited (SNEPCo), Elohor Aiboni, said Bonga, Nigeria’s first deep-water asset, has recorded major milestones, due to effective leadership, cutting-edge technology, continuous improvement and collaboration with stakeholders.
She noted that since coming on stream in November 2005, Bonga has maintained a track record of production that saw it achieve one-billion-barrel export on February 13, last year.
In her presentation, titled “The Bonga Journey to a Billion Barrels”, at the ongoing 2024 Offshore Technology Conference in Houston, Texas, United States, Aiboni, said: “SNEPCo is grateful for the contributions of all the parties to the Bonga story and we can all be proud of the milestones.
“Bonga has been consistent. In 2014, nine years after coming onstream, it achieved half a billion barrels of crude and doubled it in 2023. We have worked relentlessly to ensure excellent asset management, project and wells delivery and deployment of technology and innovations in our operations”.
According to her, these factors, “coupled with the supportive partnership of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and our co-venturers – TotalEnergies, EP Nigeria Limited; Nigerian Agip Exploration; and Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited, make Bonga stand out as a world-class investment case”.
She continued that, “SNEPCo also enjoyed the support of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) in the success of Bonga operations”.
Aiboni also listed the challenges of keeping the Bonga Floating Production, Storage and Offloading vessel full as the asset ages and dealing with unexpected developments with subsea wells and equipment.
She said: “SNEPCo responded with a campaign of operational excellence, which among other initiatives, led to the creation of a programme known as the Bonga Business Improvement Plan that continually reviews and identifies improvement initiatives and drives sustainability in operations and upskilling of staff.
“The Bonga success story has been led by Nigerians who have been managing directors of SNEPCo since it was established in 1993, in a deliberate policy by Shell to develop indigenous manpower for deep-water operations in Nigeria.
“Today, some 97percent of the SNEPCo workforce is Nigerian and overall, Bonga has helped to create a new generation of Nigerian deep-water professionals.
“Our vision at SNEPCo remains to be the best deep-water business, powering growth and achieving net zero emissions in line with Shell’s Powering Progress strategy”.
Banks’ borrowings from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) fell month-on-month, (MoM) by 44 percent to N12.16 trillion in April from N21.7 trillion in March.
Analysis of latest data from the CBN shows that the 44percent drop represents the first MoM decline in banks borrowing from since January when it increased by 268.7 percent to N3.6 trillion from N976.29 billion in December 2023.
However, further analysis showed that banks’ deposits in the CBN SDF grew MoM by 118.4 percent to N428.97 billion in April from N196.37 billion in March 2024.
Banks make use of the SLF to access liquidity to run their day-to-day business operations while the Standing Deposit Facility window (SDF) on the other hand, is an overnight deposit facility that allows banks to lodge excess liquidity (money) with the CBN and earn interest.
The decline in banks’ borrowing from SLF may reflect an increase in banking system liquidity and also the decision of the apex bank last year to remove the limit on the remunerable daily placements by banks at the SDF.
According to the CBN Governor, Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, the CBN removed the cap on the remunerable SDF to increase activity in the SDF window and manage liquidity.
A Financial technology expert, Olatunji Akinrinola, has highlighted the exponential growth of the FinTech industry, which according to him, was driven by technological advancements.
Akinrinola made this assertion in a press release recently, where he stressed that the role of technology in driving this exponential growth in the FinTech sector was very outstanding.
According to him, Technology has revolutionised the way financial services are delivered, making them more accessible, efficient, and inclusive.
“Through innovations such as mobile banking, digital payments, and blockchain technology, FinTech companies have been able to reach a larger population and provided them with access to financial services”, he stated.
Akinrinola emphasised the role of technology in enabling financial inclusion, adding: “Technology has democratised access to financial services, particularly in regions with limited banking infrastructure.
“Mobile money platforms and digital wallets have empowered individuals to conduct financial transactions conveniently and securely, without the need for traditional banking services”.
He also underscored the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data analytics in driving innovation within the FinTech industry, noting: “AI-powered algorithms and predictive analytics have revolutionised risk assessment, fraud detection, and customer personalisation in financial services.
“These technologies enable FinTech companies to provide tailored solutions and mitigate risks more effectively, ultimately enhancing the overall customer experience”.
Akinrinola stressed the importance of regulatory frameworks in fostering the growth of the FinTech industry.
“While technology has accelerated the growth of FinTech, it is essential to establish robust regulatory frameworks to ensure consumer protection and maintain market stability. Regulators play a crucial role in balancing innovation with risk management, thereby creating a conducive environment for the sustainable growth of the FinTech sector”, he stated.
Akinrinola underscored the role of technology in driving the exponential growth of the FinTech industry, saying, “Technology has been a game-changer for the FinTech sector, enabling innovation, expanding access to financial services, and driving economic growth.
“As technology continues to evolve, the FinTech industry will undoubtedly play a significant role in shaping the future of financial services ecosystem”.
Corlins Walter