Stakeholders in Nigeria’s healthcare sector have raised the alarm over the inefficient management of health funding in the country, expressing dismay that available resources have not been properly utilised to improve health outcomes.
The concern was voiced at the inaugural Health Systems Emerging Solutions Forum held in Abuja on Tuesday. The forum, convened by Development Governance International Consult (DGI), brought together leaders from the government and various healthcare organisations to address the issue.
The vice chairman of the National Health Commissioners Forum and Yobe State Health Commissioner, Dr. Muhammad Lawan highlighted the inefficiency in health funding utilisation despite scarce resources. He noted that resources are shrinking and the outcomes of millions of dollars spent on health interventions are not commensurate with the investments made.
Lawan emphasised the need for critical investments to yield the best results, stating, “If optimisation of available resources is critical, making the right investments to get the best results is equally crucial”.
A health expert and managing partner of DGI Consult, Dr. Gafar Alawode stressed the importance of efficient fund management over seeking additional funding. He pointed out instances where funds were returned due to the inability to spend them, questioning the rationale behind returning money when there are significant gaps in the health sector.
Alawode highlighted concerns about Nigeria’s poor performance in workforce management and productivity compared to other countries. He emphasised the need to generate data at different levels, both national and subnational, to measure performance accurately.
The forum, gathering critical stakeholders, aimed to showcase interventions and innovations with the potential to transform the health system landscape when implemented at scale in the country. Themed “Optimising Resources for Accelerated Progress Towards Universal Health Coverage,” the event addressed the lack of dedicated platforms showcasing the effectiveness of health system interventions and innovations.
Alawode stated that by sharing transferable lessons and critical success factors, the forum aimed to enable a better understanding and replication of these interventions, ultimately leading to impact at scale. The focus of the maiden edition was on optimising health resources, including manpower, money and materials, considering the significant narrowing of the fiscal space for government spending on health.
The Health Systems Emerging Solutions Forum provides a platform for dialogue, collaboration, and innovative thinking to address the challenges of health funding management in Nigeria, with the goal of fostering impactful change in the healthcare sector.
