* Assures of improved healthcare delivery services nationwide
By Emma Ogbuehi
President Muhammadu Buhari has called on the international community to act in unison with rededicated efforts, using latest available technology and tools, to address the Tuberculosis (TB) epidemic, one of the leading causes of deaths worldwide. In his goodwill message to the roundtable conference of the Board of the “Global Stop TB Partnership”, President Buhari expressed concern that efforts at ending a preventable and curable disease like TB were now complicated because of COVID-19.
The call came as the President, on Thursday, assured of improved healthcare delivery to Nigerians across the country. The President, specifically directed the Head of Service of the Federation and the Budget Office to consider an increase in the personnel and overhead allocation of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH). Buhari issued the directive at the virtual inauguration of capital projects executed at UMTH, in response to a specific request by the Board and Management of the hospital.
The two developments were contained in a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina. On the concerted action against TB, Buhari reminded the international community that as he mentioned during the UN High Level Meeting in 2018, it is now even more urgent that the global community, especially the African region, act in unison with rededicated efforts, using the latest available technology and tools to address the TB epidemic.
He regretted that Nigeria still ranks amongst those countries bearing the brunt of an increasing burden of TB with a growing number of “missing” TB cases.
‘‘The reversal of Nigeria’s difficult health indices, remains a top priority of this administration, including the gap in TB case detection, fueled partly by the dearth of acceptable, accessible, affordable and patient centered basic health facilities,’’ the President told the roundtable session of Honorable Ministers of Health, during the 33rd Board Meeting of the Global Stop TB Partnership.
Apprising the meeting on efforts to reverse TB cases in the country, the Nigerian leader said his government had conceptualized and is currently implementing the Primary Health Care (PHC) revitalization programme, to empower more PHC centres to provide quality basic healthcare in the treatment of TB, HIV, malaria and other health challenges, delivered in a patient-centered way.
President Buhari added that the Nigerian Government was also implementing the Basic Health Care Provision Fund, prescribed by the National Health Act, to bridge the gap in health care financing, with funds released to support provision of a basic minimum package of health services.
According to him, “We are also improving funding of health services through voluntary contributory schemes that reduce out of pocket spending and the risk of catastrophic costs to patients and their families including those with TB.”
He warned on the consequences of the increasing epidemic, stressing, ‘‘if we fail in the fight to reverse the current trend in TB prevalence, TB will continue to fight us and lead to avoidable loss of lives, especially among the economically productive age group, and amongst our most vulnerable groups, especially women.
President Buhari, who acknowledged that the work of the Stop TB Partnership all over the world has been so remarkable, despite numerous challenges, pledged his commitment to providing needed political leadership and support to end TB in Nigeria and globally.
In Maiduguri, Buhari noted that the increase in personnel and allocation at UMTH would optimise services provided by the activation of the new projects. Among landmark projects commissioned by the President are a newly constructed and fully equipped 150-bed Trauma Centre, a new General Outpatient Department, a complex for National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), a multipurpose Auditorium and Conference Centre constructed and furnished by Prof. Babagana Zulum, the Governor of Borno State.
President Buhari also commissioned a new hostel for the UMTH School of Nursing, constructed by the Federal government. The President noted that the value of the projects at the UMTH, which is a Centre of Excellence in Infectious diseases and Immunology in Nigeria, to the nation’s health care system cannot be underestimated, especially in the era of global health system challenges occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said the completion of the capital projects aptly reflects the Federal government’s commitment to sustaining development in the North East, and indeed in all parts of the country to engender economic growth, peace and progress.
On the 150-bed Trauma centre which comes with a helipad, the President expressed delight that it will provide modern multidisciplinary care facilities to injured persons from within and outside Maiduguri, in addition to reducing the need for referral to other centres.
President Buhari said that the intention of the government to render affordable quality health care with broad coverage will be boosted with the completion of the General Outpatient Department and the NHIS complex.
Urging citizens to take advantage of the improved facility, the President appealed to operators of these excellent facilities to imbibe the maintenance culture and ensure optimum utilization. President Buhari also commended the collaborative programmes of the teaching hospital with indigenous, international, non-governmental bilateral and multilateral donors and partners, like the Physical Rehabilitation Centre, which is a product of the engagement with the International Committee of the Red Cross ICRC.