The Kogi State Government has commenced training exercises for 1,080 health workers for the implementation of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) in the state.
Speaking at the training centre in Lokoja, the Executive Director, Kogi State Primary Health Care Development Agency (KSPHCDA), Dr Abubakar Yakubu, said the training was one of the prerequisites for the implementation of BHCPF in the state.
According to him, the training exercise was the state’s Training of Trainers (ToT) aim at building the capacity of staff that would handle the BHCPF program about to be implemented in the state.
He noted that a total of 1,080 participants would be trained for the implementation of the BHCPF program across the 21 local government areas of the state.
He said that the six-day intensive training which commenced on September 27, to end on Oct. 2, would be cascaded at the local government and ward levels where officers in charge of primary health facilities would be trained.
He explained that eight facilitators from National Primary Health Care (NPHCDA) and National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) including partners from WHO and UNICEF were on the ground for the exercise.
He added the ward development committee members, the HMI officers at LGA would also be trained for data capturing and organisation for the program.
“So as soon as we are through with these training, we are pretty certain that the implementation of the BHCPF program would start in the state in earnest.
“Already, we have dedicated funds on our pulse and as soon as we commence the program, issues pertaining to maternal and child health, and immunisation of the children would be taken very seriously.
”We are going to get more health officers from the BHCPF especially the midwives and nurses, and increase their numbers in health facilities across the state.
“This will enhance the primary healthcare delivery across the state,” he said.
He, therefore, urged the participants to take their time and use the opportunity to put in all the necessary energies so that they could maximally benefit from it.
Dr Emmanuel Bola Jonah, the Desk Officer and Focal Person for Kogi State BHCPF, said the agency had selected participants from one health facility in every ward in all the 239 wards across the state.
He noted that 236 out of the selected 239 health facilities in the state had been accredited, while the remaining three health facilities were in the process of accreditation.
He stressed that the implementation BHCPF program would improve the health indices of people at the grassroots and reduce mortality and morbidity in the state.
He added that the BPHCPF program would make healthcare affordable, prevent death and improve the health of the people, especially at the grassroots.
On his part, Dr Adekunle Aledare, the Executive Secretary, Kogi State Health Insurance Agency (KGSHIA), commended the Governor for his magnanimity in paying the state’s commitment fund of N100 million to enable Kogi to benefit from the BHCPF, and for fully sponsoring the training exercise.
“We thank His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, for his proactiveness and for being a health-friendly governor that is concerned with healthcare services of the people of Kogi State,” he said.
He said that KGSHIA was also an implementing partner of the BHCPF, adding that the agency had the mandate to enrol 131 vulnerable persons per ward across the 239 wards in the state.
He noted that the agency had completed enrollment of a total of 31, 491 vulnerable persons across the state’s 21 local government areas that would benefit from the BHCPF.
According to Aledare, the eligible enrollees include pregnant women, children under five years of age, people with disabilities, the poorest of the poor and the elderly above 60 years.
One of the Facilitators, Mr Stephen Ameh, Assistant Director from National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Abuja, said at the end of the training, the participants were expected to have acquired the necessary skills and go back to replicate same at the grassroots.
He noted that Kogi was the first of the remaining three States that were yet to do the training, saying all other States had done the BHCPF training.
He, however, commended the governor for the prompt payment of the state’s commitment fund, saying Kogi was the first to pay among the northern states.
A participant, Yusuf Hojapa, the Chairman of Primary Healthcare (PHC) Forum in Kogi, said he had really benefited from the training, saying he would cascade the same knowledge at the grassroots.
The Ag. Permanent Secretary of the State’s Ministry of Health, Mrs Diana Rose Offor, on Monday, inaugurated the training exercise on behalf of the Commissioner for Health, Dr Saka Audu,
The commissioner advised the participants to take the training very seriously, saying the state was very much concerned as it had invested heavily in the program.
According to him, Kogi is known for excellence, dedication and quality output, so the participants must corporate and listen attentively.
The Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) is one per cent of the Federal Government consolidated revenue deducted at source with other support from partners, donor agencies, individuals and corporate organizations.
The fund is meant to help the federal government in achieving the Universal Health Coverage for All.