The Director of Primary Health Care Systems Development, Dr Oladimeji Olayinka has said 14 Nigerian health practitioners have commenced a 10-month intensive training programme on performance-based financing (PBF) approach to health delivery system in the country.
Dr Oladimeji Olayinka who stated this while briefing newsmen said the aim of the training was to equip the participants with results-based financing approach for health delivery.
He explained that the programme which is meant to help sustain the gains of Nigeria State Health Investment Project (NSHIP), is sponsored by Oxford Policy Management Nigeria (OPM).
He added that the training will facilitate the transfer of skills and expertise from expatriates to indigenous health practitioners.
“This is the first time this kind of training is taking place in Nigeria. All other persons who have been trained to perform this kind of duty were trained elsewhere.
“When NSHIP programme started five years ago in Nigeria, all the experts managing the programmes were brought in from another country. So, this is the first time we are now trying to groom Nigerians who would take over the programme and propagate the performance-based financing for health delivery system in the country."
Also speaking, the national project coordinator of NSHIP, Hajia Binta Ismail, said the only way to sustain the gains of NSHIP programme currently being implemented in three states of Adamawa, Nasarawa and Ondo states, was to build local capacity.
“The result based financing has shown a lot of potentials in improving the health delivery system, especially primary health care system. We don't want to lose the gain recorded so far and the only way we can sustain it is to build our local capacity and ensure transfer of skills and knowledge to our own people and get them on board.”
