HEALTH CARE FINANCING AS STRATEGY FOR POVERTY REDUCTION IN NIGERIA
Keywords:
Health Care Financing, Strategy, Poverty Reduction and NigeriaAbstract
Health care financing in Nigeria is very strategic to poverty reduction. Analytical survey design method was used to examine the impact of health care financing on poverty. The work highlights some health care indices and their poor consumption pattern by Nigerians which leads to low life expectancy, low infant survival rate, high maternal mortality and the prevalence of HIV/AIDS. The ratio of doctors/nurses per unit of a population is still very high, per capita health expenditure by government is low as compared to developed nations like USA and France. There are high “out of pocket” medical expenses and some
Nigerians cannot afford the hospitals and health center bills. Increased healthcare financing by government is the feasible strategy for poverty
reduction in that, poverty and ill health reinforce one another. It is conclusive that poverty is the main reason why people cannot afford basic health care needs such as; good nutrition, shelter/housing, available source of clean water and sanitation. The recommendation is that doctor/nurse ratio to the population should be reduced; Government should provide more health care facilities; the per capita health care expenditure by government should be increased; Not less than 10 percent of annual GDP should be budgeted for health. Government should provide enabling environment for Private participation in the provision of health care infrastructures
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