Bauchi Govt to introduce quarterly budget review to improve healthcare

By: Mohammed kaka Misau, Bauchi.

The Bauchi state Commissioner for Budget and Economic planning Alhaji Aminu Hammayo, declared that a quarterly budget performance review will begin in 2022 to assess, improve and strengthen the state’s healthcare system.

Hammayo made the disclosure on Thursday while receiving officials of Community Health Research (CHR) on advocacy visit to Bauchi.

He said that the review, which would be conducted in collaboration with a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) working on health matters in the state, was to ensure adequate and timely release of funds to the sector.

He noted that “the state is quite aware of the issues around human resources, equipment and funding of the health sector.

“This visit is timely because we are working on the 2022 budget; and we will ensure that things change by next year.”

The commissioner said that discussions were ongoing on contracting retired and active health workers in the state.

Earlier, Mrs Zainab Mohammed, an Advocacy and Accountability Manager, CHR, Bauchi office, advocated for timely release of budgeted funds to health line ministries, agencies and departments.

She said that health facilities were battling with shortage of human resources, stressing that “our mothers die on their way to health facilities because of inadequate transport system, which is the ambulance.

“The facilities are also over-stretched, with only a few skilled personnel.”

CHR is an NGO working toward strengthening the healthcare system in Bauchi State through advocacy.