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.
