Enhanced PHC Delivery, Zulum Disburses Over N209 Million To Health Facilities In Borno

Enhanced PHC delivery, Zulum disburses over N209 million to health facilities in Borno

By Madu Mohammed, Maiduguri

For strong health care delivery for all members of the society, especially vulnerable members, the Borno state Government has disbursed the sum of over N209 million under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), and the Contributory Health Management Agency (BOCHMA), to 170 Primary Health Care (PhC), facilities in the state.

Speaking at the presentation of cheques to the heads of the PHC at the Government House, Maiduguri yesterday, Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno state warned that any Primary Health Care manager who cannot manage the fund should be shown the way out..

He also warned that any fund allocated to Primary Health Care faciiities should not be diverted to any sector or department of the local government council.

Governor Zulum said “. I hereby directed the Primary Health Care coordinators to ensure that all vulnerable members of the society are enroll under the scheme.I also directed that all Primary Health Care councilor, coordinator should work in synergy with the state Primary Health Care Development Agency (SPHCDA), and Borno state Contributory Health Care Management Agency (BOCHMA).

“The cardinal objective of any Government is to protect live and property and health care delivery is the Pilar of the protection of live.. All local government chairmen should take charge of the health facilities to ensure all Primary Health Care faciitilities in their respective local government areas are functional”, Zulum said.

The Governor explained that he call for the stakeholders meeting to discuss and strengthen the synergy between the local government area chairmen, the PhC facilities manager, the SPHCDA and BOCHMA, and also breach the gap between the stakeholders..

He directed the two agency to declare all funds allocated to each PHC facilities to their respective council chairmen and that all PhC facilities manager should be accountable, adding that the agencies should also ensure timely released of the funds to the PHC facilities.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Borno state Commissioner for health, Prof. Baba Mallam said the disbursement of the funds under the BHCPF and BOCHMA is to ensure every person have access to health care delivery service

“Today we are witnessing the presentation of the N209 million BHCPF and BOCHMA funds which will go a long way in advancing the healthcare delivery at the primary and secondary health care service in the state,” Prof Mallam said.

He said ” this meeting is aimed at streamlining and strengthening health delivery in our dear state “.

The commissioner also commended the Federal Government for setting aside 1 percent of the consolidated revenue to fund the scheme, as primary healthcare is the backbone health care services,.

He also assured that the Borno state government under the leadership of Governor Babagana Zulum is committed to effective health care delivery in the state, steessing that the government allocated 50 percent of the 2024 budget on healthcare sector.

Speaking in an interview with journalists, the Executive Secretary of the SOHDA, Prof. Mohammed Arab said in addition to the counterpart funding released to the local government areas about N600,000 will be given to the PHC, which according him will go a long way in improving health care delivery at the grassroots level.

Also, the Executive Secretary, BOCHMA, Dr Saleh Kaza said over 100,000 person are already enrolled under the cc onntributory healthcare insurance and with this support from the government more vulnerable person’s will enrolled under the contributory scheme.

Speaking on behalf of the ALGON, Borno state chapter, the chairman Morbar local government area, Alhaji MGas assured the Governor that all the 27 local government chairmen will ensure effective monitoring of the funds and that no fund allocated to the PHC will be diverted.