A Bauchi based Civil Society Organization (CSO), Journalists for Public Health and Development Initiative (J4PD), has commended Bauchi state government for the allocation of 15.08 percent of its 2023 proposed budget to the health sector.
The commendation was contained in a press release signed and issued by the Knowledge Management and Communication (KMC) Advisor of J4PD, Bashir Hassan Abubakar, and made available to newsmen in Bauchi.
J4PD said the three percent allocation to the health components of BASEPA, RUWASSA and Agriculture (nutrition), will further complement and provide the much needed buffer, especially in providing health care services at the primary level.
While commending the state government for the giant strides, in line with the Abuja declaration on health, J4PD appealed for timely releases of allocation when eventually it is signed into law.
The J4PD coordinator, Elizabeth Nange Carr, particularly pleaded with the state government to improve on budget releases to enable relevant MDAs carry out programs and activities designed to strengthen its health care systems.
“For quite a while now, Bauchi state has been consistent in allocating 15 percent in line with Abuja declaration and it is quite commendable. But our concern as CSO is that at the end of the year, the health budget performance leaves much to be desired and this is due to inadequate releases of funds appropriated.