LISDEL RAISES FUNDS FOR NOURISH PROJECT AND PROJECT REACH

The International Universal Health Coverage Day, which is usually held on the 12^th of December every year, was marked this year, 2022, with various activities and programs globally and nationally. This year, the UHC Day 2022 theme was: “Build the World We Want: A Better Future for All”. It called on citizens to hold their governments accountable to ensure that the world becomes a place where everyone, everywhere has access to essential health services, without financial hardship.

LISDEL, organized an advocacy campaign online to sensitize the government on the need to make adequate provision for and promote universal access to comprehensive maternal healthcare, as well as to provide timely, safe, appropriate, and effective healthcare services for all Nigerians, especially the most vulnerable, women, children, and adolescents; and partnered with other CSOs to commemorate the day. 

The organization did a trial launch of its NOURISH PROJECT, to provide Ready to Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTF) for children suffering from severe acute malnutrition (SAM) through the kind donations of well-meaning Nigerians, and its PROJECT REACH program, to provide health insurance for the most vulnerable persons in its focal States, by organizing a fund-drive for both projects, which ran from the 9th of December to 13th of December 2022. 

Being the first of its kind by LISDEL, the organization is fully poised that well-meaning Nigerians will be committed to helping fellow Nigerians who are living in extreme poverty and cannot afford basic healthcare and children suffering from acute malnutrition due to a series of factors. 

LISDEL calls on Nigerians to continue to support both causes, as its sustained success is dependent on the donations from the public.  

Also, in other parts of the city of Abuja, various activities were held to mark the day.

The Federal Ministry of Health organized a walk to create more awareness on the need to accelerate UHC in Nigeria. It was attended by stakeholders from the Ministry of Health, healthcare providers, CSOs, Media, other professional bodies, and individuals as well.

The Minister for Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, stressed the need for Nigerians to hold them accountable and insist on better healthcare service deliver at all levels, as well as to register with a health insurance provider in other to take advantage of the benefits of the National Health Insurance Act and reduce Out-Of-Pocket-Expenditure on health.

The Health Sector Reform Coalition (HSRC) organized a Town Hall Meeting to commemorate the day, on the Tuesday 13^th December, with the theme: “HEALTH FOR ALL NIGERIANS: LEAVE NO ONE BEHIND”.

Participants ranged from leading political party representatives to the Nigeria Labour Congress and its affiliates, professional associations, CSOs and informal groups (Market Women associations, Keke Riders Association etc).

Discussions centered around the need to provide adequate, timely, safe and affordable healthcare for all Nigerians, including recruiting of the right human resource for health (HRH) and in the right quantity. The need to take care of health workers by offering good remuneration packages in other to stem brain drain was also emphasized. Holding political aspirants running for various offices, understanding their manifesto, ensuring health is a key delivery in their manifesto was also stressed.

A panel discussion comprising of political party representatives (LP and PDP, as others were unavailable) was held and feedback given. A few strategic documents were presented to key panelists and invited guests.

By Eruemolor A | LISDEL