By Auwal Mohammed,
Gombe (Nigeria) — Gombe State Accountability Mechanism for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (GoSAM) has urged the state government to increase budget of Health sector from the present 8.5% to the Abuja declaration of 15%.Chairperson, Advocacy Subcommittee of GoSAM, Zariyatu Abubakar, made the call Thursday, when the group paid an advocacy visit to the state Ministry for Economic Planning.
“We are appealing to state government to increase the budgetary allocation for health from 8.5 per cent to 15 per cent Abuja declaration of April 2001.
“Also to ensure the release of at least 70 per cent capital budget to State Ministry of Health and Gombe State Primary Health Care Development Agency “ she said.
She also expressed the need for state government to involve Civil Society Organizations in budget planning process in the Ministry of Economic planning.
According to her, GoSAM is the leading accountability mechanism for Maternal, New born and Child Health in Gombe state.
She said, following the 2016 health budget scorecard which gives the poor pictorial information on the status of Maternal and Neonatal Health and Health budget performance in the state, something urgent need to be done.
“Inadequate resources allocation to health projects, low budgetary provision and timely release of budgeted funds for health.
“Lack of communities and Civil Society participation in budget planning “ she said.
“Inadequate resources allocation to health projects, low budgetary provision and timely release of budgeted funds for health.
“Lack of communities and Civil Society participation in budget planning “ she said.
In his response, Permanent Secretary Ministry for Economic Planning, Stephen Ayuba, said the ministry will advise Ministry of Health and State Primary Health Care Development Agency and others to involve CSOs in budget planning.
He further appealed to GoSAM members not to relent on the good job they were doing.
News Editor