NIGERIA’S FIRST LADY CALLS FOR SUSTAINABLE HEALTH FINANCING

…At High-Level Meeting on Domestic Health Financing in Addis Ababa

Africa’s aspirations for progress, economic growth, and social stability will remain difficult to achieve without a robust healthcare system that guarantees access to essential services for millions of Africans.

The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, stated this at a High-Level Meeting on Domestic Health Financing in Africa, organized by Rwandan President Paul Kagame on the margins of the 38th AU Summit in Addis Ababa.

Senator Tinubu emphasized the need for sustainable financing that ensures the efficient mobilization and utilization of resources for short-, medium-, and long-term impact. She explained that a prosperous continent is largely dependent on the health of its people, and with impending funding gaps caused by recent policy changes in the United States, Africa must seek sustainable homegrown solutions.

Sharing Nigeria’s perspective, she stressed the importance of a healthcare system that guarantees access to quality services without imposing financial hardship.

“Africa cannot continue to rely solely on donor funding and foreign aid, which, although helpful, are often unpredictable and unsustainable. Instead, we must develop innovative financing strategies tailored to our unique challenges and circumstances,” she stated.

The First Lady also highlighted her role as the Global and National Stop TB Champion, underscoring how First Ladies can leverage their positions to mobilize resources for healthcare from governments, the private sector, and donor agencies.

“Given the increasing funding gap for health on the continent, I urge us all to come together and commit to advocating for increased national health budgets. In line with the Abuja Declaration, our governments should allocate at least 15% of their budgetary allocations to health. We must also support innovative financing mechanisms and explore sustainable models, such as expanding health insurance coverage, establishing health endowment funds, and attracting investments from the African diaspora. Accountability and transparency must be ensured, as funds allocated to health must be used efficiently and effectively,” she added.

Global and regional perspectives on domestic health financing in Africa and its contributions to the global agenda were also explored by Presidents and Heads of State from Rwanda, Ethiopia, Botswana, Kenya, Senegal, Zimbabwe, and Barbados, alongside donor agencies and funding partners.

They unanimously agreed that Africa must prioritize homegrown solutions to its healthcare needs, including research, medication production, technological advancements, improved manpower, and, most importantly, sustainable funding, to ensure a productive and prosperous population.

The High-Level Meeting on Domestic Health Financing, organized by Rwandan President Paul Kagame, took place on the sidelines of the 38th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa.

SIGNED

Busola Kukoyi

SSA Media to the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

Friday, 14th February 2025