PACFaH tasks Nigerian media to report health budget issues

THE Partnership Advocacy for Child and Family Health (PACFaH) wants journalists in Nigeria to actively  report issues  surrounding  the health budget and finance.

Health Reform Foundation  of Nigeria (HERFON), Programme Officer on PACFaH project,  Ms.Aanu’ Rotimi, told members of the Health Writers Association of Nigeria (HEWAN) during a symposium in Lagos recently, that regular reports would ensure that deliberations on the health budget are kept on the front burner, and ensure that  government meets  commitment  towards adequate funding  of  the health sector.

In her presentation  on the  “ Role of Media In Advocating For Increased Health Sector Budget in Nigeria” during  a symposium organised by  HEWAN in Lagos, Rotimi stated that  the media’s  power in  influencing opinions and behavior as well as ability to inspire public interest through creating awareness around respective issues has a great to play  in ensuring that  government  adequately finance  the  healthcare sector.

 “Over the years, evidence has shown that media plays a vital role in mobilising people for national development. It is the connection between the people and government. Advocating for improved health outcomes is a role for all stakeholders in which health journalists are critical stakeholders.

“It is interesting to note the interplay of both intrinsic and extrinsic factors that determines what good health is all about. Appropriate allocation, prompt release  and value for money utilisation  of health funds are important, and not just mere reduction in MMR, U5MR or IMR,  which although are expected ultimate results, but can be transient till  an assured funding, much more transparent utilisation and ownership are available.”

She urged the media to remind government to honor various commitments on health financing, such as the Abuja Declaration  that stated that 15 per cent of  the country’s annual budget  must be allocated to health, Goal 3 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)’s  Target 3.c ( Increase substantially health financing), National Health Act that says 1 per cent  of the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF)   should be allocated   to the health sector, Nigeria’s commit to the Declaration of African Ministers of Health, Finance, Education, Social Affairs, Local Governments attending the Ministerial Conference on Immunization in Africa, Addis Ababa in 2016   and The London 2012 Family  planning (FP) commitment and the costed FP Blueprint.

She noted that health financing issues are not widely covered by the media, adding that health news rarely makes it to the leading headlines or cover page of  media houses.

She argued that challenges of  health finance reporting in Nigeria  include “limited investigation on health sector funding , inadequate reporting on the issue of  health finance,  media owner’s philosophy towards health reportage,limited experts and interest groups to track and report health outcomes on health financing  and limited demand in accountability by the media on health budget” 

Rotimi said health  journalists should ensure   a change on  tracking of health budget  by “following committed organisations/individuals  working on health budget advocacy as partners,  investigate on health allocation, releases and utilization, provide a strong rationale for the need to increase attention to health” sector funding.

The needs to “write or broadcast stories that can enhance funding of the health sector, push for more attention on health funding as it relates to economic development, draw the attention of policy makers and engage constructively and write articles or features that will make health sector funding a priority.”

The PACFaH project is an innovative social accountability project being implemented through the unique strategy of capacity building for civil society organisations (CSOs) on the demand side and government champions on the supply side to build partnerships to advance child and family health through advocacy.

The project's top line objective is to improve the accountability of government at the national and state levels to deliver on commitments by increasing health budget, timely expenditure releases, and  implementation of  policies and guidelines in support of improved child and family health in Nigeria as a result of evidence-based, high-impact advocacy led by coalitions of local CSOs.