Optimizing the Delivery of the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF) in Lagos State

LISDEL in collaboration with Save the Children and in partnership with Lagos State Ministry of Health joined other stakeholders at a 1- Day Orientation Program for the Lagos State Ministry of Health BHCPF State Oversight Committee (SOC) and State Emergency Medical Treatment Committee (SEMTC) on the operationalization of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF). 

The overall objectives of the BHCPF is to ensure the Basic Minimum Package of Health Services (BMPHS) to all Nigerians and strengthen the Primary Health Care (PHC) system, based on the NHAct 2014.

The first presentation of the day was delivered by the Director of DPRS titled ‘The Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF): Roles and responsibilities of the SOC and SEMTC. It was stated that the role of the SOC is to support the Honorable Commissioner (Health) in providing the required advisory and leadership roles in ensuring the successful implementation of the BHCPF scheme, approval of annual work plans and reports, all onboarding criteria as the Gateways are met and in a timely manner, the implementation and use of funds within the State is transparent with accountability measures in place amongst other functions.

The SEMTC on the other hand should ensure timely transmission of verified claims from providers to the NEMTC for prompt settlement.

The second presentation on BHCPF was: Governance Administration Management and the Ministerial Oversight Committee (MOC) by Dr. Chris. He enunciated the relationship between the SOCs and the MOC at the federal level and stated the number of releases of BHCPF funds from 2019 till date. However, a dichotomy on the yardstick of measurement in allocating funds for Lagos was raised. The use of the poverty index and population of 14 million gotten from the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics was deemed inadequate for operating the PHCs. The issue of saying that Lagos does not have a lot of poor people was stated as untrue.

Dr. Ahmad Saidu, the National Program Manager FMOH NEMWAS (National Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System) and the representative of the Chairman of NEMTC stated that the objectives of NEMSAS are to rollout a comprehensive plan for the operationalization of NEMSAS , support NEMTC at all national levels and SEMTCs in all 36 states and FCT, serve as technical backstop for the NEMTC and its it sub-committees and have the NEMTC develop a comprehensive assessment criterion to test States’ readiness to be onboarded onto the EMT gateway.

Panel session was anchored by Dr. Olamide Okulaja, the technical adviser to the Honorable Commissioner of Health, with panelists: Dr. Ibrahim Mustapha, P.S. Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, Dr. Emmanuella Zamba, G.M LASHMA (Lagos State Health Management Agency), Dr. Chris Isokpunwu, Mrs. Haruna Abubakar Nana- Aisha, DGM (SC) NHIA and Dr. Ahmed.

Issues raised were communication gaps between Lagos State and the BHCPF on the allocation and release of funds, the need for BHCPF and LASHMA to meet to align their capitation and for NHIA to devolve some duties to LASHMA.

DPRS praised LISDEL for initiating and partnering on the program which ought to have held since 2021, as they were looking for partnership.

Other participants in attendance were Honourable Commissioner of Health, Prof Akin Abayomi; PS LSMOH, Dr Olusegun Ogboye; Secretary of the Ministerial Oversight Committee, Dr Chris Isokpunwu; Dr. Saidu Ahmad, National Planning Manager FMOH NEMSAS.

The program was anchored by the Director of DPRS LSMOH, Dr Lajide. 

The event was held at The Sojourner by Genesis, Ikeja GRA, on Friday September 9, 2022.

By Deborah Olarewaju | State Coordinator, LISDEL