Agency Report
The Cross River State government is seeking the removal of bureaucratic bottlenecks to enable the current administration access the basic health care provision fund.
The fund is a constitutional provision which requires that one percent of the consolidated revenue is set aside for basic health care.
And, the Commissioner for Health in the State, Dr. Betta Edu recently, while assuming office as the chairman of the steering committee said there were some bottlenecks that have prevented Cross River from accessing the fund.
“It is expedient for the federal government through the federal ministry of health to immediately remove all bottlenecks and release basic health care provision funds to States to boost their health system as contained in 2014 health act,” a statement issued by the health ministry on Sunday quoted her as saying.
She said that this was vital for, “the health sector in Nigeria to experience that big shift and the much needed revolution.”
Edu sought synergy from all members of the steering committee and pledged to work assiduously to deliver on the mandate of the ministry.
Only two States have been able to access the fund so far a year after it was “launched by President Muhammadu Buhari,” the statement read.
The state steering committee is responsible for the fund’s management. And, the immediate past chairman and permanent secretary in the ministry of health, Dr. Joseph Bassey said staff training and facilities baseline assessment were the processes left to be completed in order for Cross River to access its share.
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