Healthcare Financing: Kaduna Develops Policy On Public Private Partnership

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By; ALEX UANGBAOJE, Kaduna


As part of measures to strengthen private sector contributions in financing health sector in Kaduna State, the state government has commenced a process of developing a policy for Public Private Partnership (PPP).
The policy according to government is aimed at strengthening coordination and guide partnership arrangements on health to achieve Universal Health Coverage through an Effective Public Private Partnership.
Speaking at a one-day sensitization meeting to gain insight on the best way to develop a robust policy document that meet the need and aspiration of the people of Kaduna State, organized by the State Ministry of Health with support from Partnership to Engage, Reform and Learn (PERL), Chief Medical Director of Barau Dikko Specialist Hospital, Professor Musa Tabari, said Public Private Partnership becomes necessary in health sector financing.
According to him, the state already have a Strategic Health Development Plan currently being implemented with partnership for health as one of the priority areas, under where you have PPP. Adding that the state strategic plan equally has healthcare financing.
“Luckily, Kaduna has established an agency to take care of healthcare financing in terms of accessibility for citizens to access healthcare services through the contributory health scheme, but how the system is going to be financed has not been looked into. It is still  either been financed by the government largely or through development partners. Hence, the need to coopt private investors.” Professor Tabari, said.
On his part, Dr. Joseph Sunday, Director Planning in the state Ministry of Health noted that poor cash backing to implement many planned cost-effective interventions and operational activities is one of the challenges affecting the health sector.
Also, high attrition of health workers about 20% for Doctors and 10% for Nurses, inadequate operational vehicles to carry out routine and supervisory activities. Inadequate and obsolete equipment (photocopier, Computer accessories & medical equipment in Health Facilities.
And insecurity in health facilities in some LGAs (Sanga, Burnin Gwari, Grwa, Chikun and Igabi etc). High number of Private Health facilities operating illegally. Lack of local capacity and budget line for Plant Preventive Maintenance (PPA) of medical equipment in the state, He added are also part of the challenges.
State Team Lead of PERL-EC, Abel Adejor, said developing a PPP policy have become imperative following unavailability of critical health services and inefficiencies in services deliveries which are major factors associated with poor level of performance.
He noted that providing a policy environment that provide guidance on how successful partnership in health can be achieved is one of the solutions to reduces inefficiencies and improve performance.
He explained that the sensitization meeting with different stakeholders in the health sector from both the public, private, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and the Media was aimed to improve buy-in, ownership and promote awareness of PPP systems and processes in Kaduna State’s health sector. 
He added that it also aims to strengthen the Health Sector’s ability to effectively develop and implement PPP arrangements in the state’s health space.

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