Budget Defence : Health Agencies Call For Increased Funding

Health agencies under the House Committee on Healthcare Services are calling for increased funding in the 2025 budget.

They made the call in Abuja at the 2025 budget defence session organized by the
House Committee on Healthcare Services.

The agencies are
the National Primary Healthcare Development
Agency, NPHDA, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, NCDC,
the Medical and Dental Council of
Nigeria, the National Health Insurance Authority, NHIA, among others.

In his presentation,
Executive Director of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Muyi Aina proposed a budget of approximately N48.1 billion.

He emphasized that, despite existing funding sources like the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund and Vaccine Immunisation Funds, the agency requires additional resources for optimal performance.

Aina noted that the budget release for 2024 was low but expressed hope for improvement in 2025, stating that the requested funds would significantly aid in addressing health challenges nationwide.

Similarly, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention NCDC is seeking over N7.3 billion for its 2025 budget.

Director General of the NCDC, Dr. Jide Idris explained that the funding would help combat the eight current disease outbreaks in the country.

He assured the committee of the agency’s preparedness for any outbreaks, highlighting ongoing research and collaborations with state governments to enhance disease surveillance. Idris also echoed a committee member’s suggestion for a contingency fund to ensure the agency can respond promptly during health emergencies.

Also, the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria has indicated it will need N113 billion for its operations in 2025.

Registrar of the council, Dr. Fatima Kyari explained that the agency did not receive any allocation in 2024 due to its exclusion from the budgetary process, relying instead on fees from doctors’ registrations.

The National Health Insurance Authority, NHIA, during the Defence, is also requesting for N130 billion to improve health insurance coverage across Nigeria.

Director General of NHIA, Dr. Kelechi Ohiri,
stated that as of 2024, about 19.4 million Nigerians were covered under the authority, with an additional 2.5 million under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund.

Responding, chairman of the House Committee on Healthcare Institutions, Mr Amos Magaji, highlighted the importance of a functional healthcare system in combating corruption and addressing the financial burdens faced by Nigerians.

Members of the committee engaged with agency heads about their 2024 expenditures and expectations for the upcoming budget.

Magaji commended the agencies for their efforts and promised to review their requests for potential funding increases.

Oduyemi Odumade, Edited By Grace Namiji