Bauchi 2023 UHC Scorecard: BaSAM Called For Improvement in Major Indicators
BaSAM Co-Chair, Mr Abu John making a remark on behalf of the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on the launching of UHC Scorecard dissemination. Photo: Murtala Muhammad
By Murtala Muhammad
Bauchi State Accountability Mechanism for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, BaSAM has launched the dissemination of 2023 Universal Health Coverage, UHC Scorecard for the state.
The scorecard requests the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency to make adequate budgetary provisions to improve the availability of Child spacing commodities for easy access to clients.
The BaSAM Co-Chair, Mr Abu John called on the state government to make timely and adequate releases of budgetary allocations to the health sector, especially that of Family Planning and Equity Fund for enrollment of vulnerable populations.
The disseminated Scorecard indicates that the percentage of Vulnerable Population enrolled by Bauchi State Health Contributory Management Agency (BASHCMA) is 1.3 in 2023 as against the 2022 enrollment of 1.1 percent and the 2023 target is 80 percent.
It indicates that “the state’s population continuously increase with more than 70 percent of it living below the poverty line.”
According to the UHC Scorecard, financial risk protection data shows that less than 5 of the 70 percent population seek health care services through out of pocket expenditure, which make their chances of getting poorer very high.
The data indicates that the state’s population covered by financial risk protection for both 2023 and 2022 is 2 percent and the 2030 UHC target is 50 percent.
The disseminated Scorecard emphasises that it was imperative for the government to ensure the release of equity funds for the enrollment of poor households into the financial risk protection of the Bauchi State Health Contributory Scheme.
The Health Financing Advisor, USAID funded IHP, Mr Khalid Kasimu said for the state to achieve Universal Health Coverage by the year 2030, more investment was needed in its health sector, through releases of appropriated funds for health and employment of medical doctors to fill the existing gap in the sector.
According to the Scorecard general government expenditure on health compared to total government expenditure is 11 percent for 2023, 9 percent for 2022 and the 2030 target towards achieving UHC is 40 percent.
BaSAM commends the present administration in the state for achieving the 15 percent budgetary allocation to the Health Sector.
It also applauds the state government’s effort for the construction and renovation of various health facilities across the State.
The Scorecard Dissemination was supported by USAID funded Integrated Health Program (IHP) and launched by Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Ali Babayo on behalf of the State Commissioner, Dr Adamu Sambo.
