C'River Gov't Inaugurates Healthcare Financing Equity, Investment TWG To Attend To Critical Areas Of Need
By Ogbu KOSY
Consistent with the Governor Bassey Otu-led administration's mandate to revitalise the health sector of the State, the Ministry of Health has inaugurated the Health Care Financing Equity and Investment Technical Working Group (HCFEI - TWG) to drive innovations that would improve funding for the state's health sector.
Inaugurating the team in the conference hall of the Ministry, recently, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Henry Egbe Ayuk restated the present administration's resolve to re-establish and refocus healthcare services to be accessible and affordable to the generality of the masses.
"I am happy to see partners' contributions to this effect. We need a technical working group that would go all out and attend to critical areas of needs in the health sector of the State," the Commissioner stated, conveying Governor Otu's promise to explore available opportunities that would booster funding for the sector.
Lamenting the financial inadequacies hampering health management in the State and country, Dr. Ayuk assured that the Otu-led executive would liaise with the legislature to increase the percentage allocated to health, improve budget performance, through appropriation and implementation.
Advocating for capacity building of health personnel, the Health Commissioner insisted that "for social insurance to be functional, health services must be attractive."
"There is a dearth of doctors at the primary health centres. We urge the lawmakers to formulate legislations that would address the manpower needs in the sector. The Otu's government is desirous of improving healthcare service delivery in the State."
Expressing the Assembly's excitement about the setting up of the TWG team, the Chairman of the State Assembly House Committee on Health and Member representing Boki II constituency, Rt. Hon. Hilary Bisong, described health as a critical sector of society that must be adequately funded.
The legislator described financing as a precise correlate of a workable healthcare system, saying government must be deliberate about funding healthcare.
The State's Statistician-General, Effiom Henshaw, charged the TWG team to utilise available data to make inroads in advancing health financing.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Cross River chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr Felix Archibong, stated that the feasibility of an efficient healthcare system is only possible when resources are pooled together to support the poor and vulnerable in the society.
Speaking on behalf of the TWG, its Chairman and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Pauline Obute, said a review of the State budgetary allocation in the last ten years shows failure to finance health, pointing out that it was time to look into conceptualising equitable distribution of healthcare.
She promised to hit the ground running in line with the already laid down terms of reference, quipping that "if we do not strengthen our health system, we will be consumed by the same system we failed to strengthen."
The 35-member Technical Working Group has Dr. Pauline Obute as Chairman and Mr. Casmir Ugbong as Secretary.
