By Amos Tauna
Kaduna (Nigeria) — A coalition on health, Kaduna State Maternal Health Accountability Mechanism (KADMAM) says, Kaduna State government has approved and released only 18.24 per cent of health budget for execution of projects from January to June, this year.
According to KADMAM, the percentage represents N1,913 ,406,826.69 of the N10,490,384,2710.00 approved, which it described as insignificant for visibility and impact.
Speaking in Kaduna, at the third-quarter ‘State Health Budget Performance Scorecard’, Co-chairman of KADMAM, Mustapha Jumare, lamented the poor release of funds within the period under review.
He also revealed that Civil Society Organizations had visited the 11 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHC) said to have been fully renovated by the state government, out of the 255 undergoing renovation, saying, all the facilities have failed to meet the standard of PHC based on National Primary Healthcare Development Agency requirements.
Jumare said, of the eleven, some were still not completed, urging government to expedite action on the renovation exercise.
He however expressed delight that there was improvement on the cash backing to execute projects, compared to first quarter, expressing hope that before the end of the year, about 50 per cent, or more funds would be released for the realization of the state government priorities .
Jumare assured that a committee set up by KADMAM would meet the state government to advocate the increase of cash backing towards completing more projects before the end of the year
Responding, Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Paul Manya Dogo admitted that there was slow execution of projects in the ministry, especially at the beginning of the year, which prompted the state government to set up a task force that would ensure speedy implementation of its programmes for better service delivery in the state.
He said the ministry would step up supervision for speedy completion of the projects, adding that government was committed to providing healthcare to its citizens.
“Government has embarked on free treatment to older citizens of 70 years above, the government is registering them and is prepared to spend N200,000 annually on each of them,” he added.
To ensure best practices, the commissioner said, government was recruiting 200 health workers that would directly work in taking care of the elderly ones.
Similarly, Dr. Dogo said, the government has recruited 100 doctors and 1000 nurses being recruited, while 23 general hospitals are also being equipped.
Other participants at the interactive forum including Development Partners and CSOs appealed to the government to expedite action on the 255 Primarily Health Care centres for improved services.