AHBN Advocates Inclusion Of Adolescents In National Health Strategic Planning
The coordinator, of the African Health Health Budget Network (AHBN), Dr Aminu Magashi Garba has called for the inclusion of adolescents in the national health strategies planning for actualisation of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Nigeria.
Magashi made the call at a two-day strategic retreat to review Nigeria’s Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent Health and Nutrition- (RMNCAH+N), Recovery Plan Scorecard and Validate Family Planning (FP), and 2030 Accountability Motion Tracker Template in Abuja.
According to Magashi, the national health strategies and investment plans for UHC must include adolescents adding that with emphasis on the most vulnerable and marginalised adolescents and their families to ensure equity while also stressing that investing in vertical or single-issue programmes is rarely efficient.
AHBN advocates inclusion of adolescents in national health strategic planning
AHBN advocates inclusion of adolescents in national health strategic planning
“Programmes should be designed to address multiple risk factors and vulnerabilities and all adolescents should be covered by mandatory, prepaid, pooled funding with user fees reduced or eliminated,” he said.
“The NGOs, advocates and other critical stakeholders must find a way of talking to the government and the ministry of finance, in particular, the office of the accountant general of the federation (AGF) for the release of approved budgets.”
Magashi also noted that investments in family planning are an investment in saving the lives of women and children and leading to prosperity for all.
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“Family planning, therefore, is critical to achieving sustainable development goals which are aimed at ending poverty and improving wellness and health. it is also key to achieving ending hunger as well as promoting gender equality.
“That’s why a country as populous as Nigeria needs to promptly release the budget for the procurement of Family Planning (FP) commodities.”
Similarly, the chairman of the National Advocates for Health (NA4H), Hon. Mohammed Usman who spoke on behalf of the CSOs said that investment in adolescents delivers “multiple dividends” such as improving health, enhancing it throughout the life course and contributing to the health of future generations.
“Healthy adolescents also fuel economic growth by contributing to increased productivity, reduced health expenditure, and the interruption of intergenerational transmission of poor health, poverty and discrimination.
“For every naira invested in adolescent health, there is an estimated ten-fold health, social and economic return.”
The president of the Association of Nigeria Health Journalists (ANHEJ), Mr Hassan Zaggi, said that in most countries, health systems and services were mainly designed for either young children or adults.
“Due to biological and gender-based differences that result in varied health risks and disease incidence, these health services must always apply an appropriate ‘gender lens.’ Governments need to reach adolescents with high quality, well-coordinated and well-integrated programmes in their everyday context,” he said.
Zaggi said that these demands coordinated multi-sectoral action across a range of service delivery platforms, and should be complemented by laws guaranteeing that adolescents have access to services.
SOURCE: Prime Time News
