Stakeholders in the health sector have advocated the establishment of a Nigerian health development bank to help address financial challenges in the health system.
The Director, Center for Social Justice, Eze Onyekwere, stated that government intervention in this regard has become necessary to help overcome the financial difficulties usually associated with capital projects with the health sector.
The stakeholders who include the seven State Health Commissioners, State Executive Secretaries of the Primary Health Development Agency (PHDA) and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) made the call in Abuja.
States participating in the meeting include FCT, Sokoto, Rivers, Nasarawa, Imo, Bauchi and Adamawa. Also in attendance were the state health insurance agency.
Onyekwere further noted that most equipment and other technological devices used in the health sector are capital intensive, hence the need for a dedicated bank.
He said: “If you have to buy all the things that are capital intensive and pay commercial bank interest rates, you are denying ordinary Nigerians access to primary health care.
“We are asking for a special health bank that will finance health care like the interventions we did for the Bank of Industry, Agricultural Bank etc. So, this special bank for the health sector will finance health.
Adding: “This bank will make health services affordable for ordinary Nigerians, and not collapse the health sector because money will circulate, the health bank will give you a loan and you pay it back with a small interest on top.
“Whatever money the government brings to the health sector together with money from international development institutions will be in the field for a long time.
“A small interest will be available to the next person who wants to apply for the loan. It will create more health care,” said Onyekwere.