FG to host Health Financing policy dialogue in September.

The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare will be hosting the National Health Financing Policy Dialogue from September 1 to 4 in Abuja. 

A statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by the Director of Health Planning, Research and Statistics, Dr Kamil Shoretire, said that the dialogue aims to address Nigeria's persistent health financing challenges and chart a pathway to sustainable solutions.

Shoretire stated that the dialogue will be attended by policymakers, health experts, civil society, and private sector players to share experiences, identify bottlenecks, and propose reforms.

Citing Nigeria's allocation of less than 5% of its budget to health, being far short of the 15% pledged in the 2001 Abuja Declaration, with out-of-pocket spending accounting for about 76% of total health spending, thereby pushing millions of Nigerians into poverty, he said the dialogue will explore innovative financing models, including public-private partnerships and sin taxes, to bridge the financing gap.

On their part, health experts believe the dialogue is crucial for implementing the National Health Insurance Authority Act and expanding the Basic Health Care Provision Fund, just as they stressed the need to reduce reliance on out-of-pocket spending and ensure health insurance works for the poor.

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