NGOs engage Kaduna Lawmakers on Universal Health Coverage.
By: Femi Oyelola Mustspha
Save the Children International and the Legislative Advocacy Initiative for Sustainable Development (LISDEL), have organized a legislative engagement workshop for members of the Kaduna State House of Assembly to enhance their capacities to accelerate Universal Health Coverage.
It is also expected to develop a Legislative Health Agenda for 2022/2023 that would guide legislative interventions in the state.
Speaking at the commencement of the workshop, the Deputy Speaker Dr. Isaac Auta said they were in Kano to improve the capacity of their members, especially on oversight functions, and to improve the health system in Kaduna State.
“So we are all here to get such information from resource persons. We were given a monogram on how the Kaduna Health system works and we were briefed on Primary Health Care…I.can see something that’s going to improve the healthcare system especially now that the legislators are ready to even go more, on their oversight functions and see what is happening .”
He said the Assembly takes matters of health seriously and members were at the workshop to get reminded and take their responsibility on their shoulders.
In his remark the Advocacy and Campaign Coordinator of Save the Children International,
Farouk Abdulkadir said the workshop would, among other objectives, deepen understanding of the legislature on health financing, Universal Health Coverage, and Primary Health Care objectives and policies.
Abdulkadir explained that the capacity building was to enhance their capacities and deepen their understanding of health financing and UHC in line with the goals of Primary Health Care and health policies.
Mr. Usman Mohammed, Vice President, LISDEL, commended the leadership of the state Assembly for the commitment to contribute their quota in improving access to quality basic healthcare services in the state.
Mohammed said lawmakers were expected to support the needed legislation that would improve the efficiency and effectiveness health insurance scheme being implemented by the Kaduna State Contributory Health Management Authority (KADCHMA).
He explained that the workshop also enhances the legislative and enhance the application of these functions to ensure the expansion of health financial risk protection mechanisms to the target population.
The Director General of the Contributory Health Authority in Kaduna State, Alhaji Abubakar Hassan, said the workshop was aimed at educating them to understand what was needed in helping the health system really function.
” Beyond that, I think it is also about the necessary synergy that should exist between the legislative arm and other functionalities of government. That’s why we are here today. But specifically looking at what’s happening within the healthcare system in Kaduna State; how they come in, and where can they come in to support and drive implementation of different programs in Kaduna State under the health sector. So we are here to do that,” he said.
