#OnePercentForLife

The National Health Act 2014 (Act) provides in section 11 for the allocation of not less than 1% of the Federal Government's Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) to the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (Fund). The Fund is to be used mainly for primary health care in providing essential drugs, vaccines and consumables; maintenance of facilities, equipment and transport; human resources and emergency medical treatment.

Since the enactment of the Act, the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) has not contributed to the Fund. FGN's contributions would have demonstrated ownership, commitment and leadership and attracted donors and other contributors as anticipated in the Act. It would have also attracted counterpart funding from states and local governments thereby providing more resources for primary health care. The percentage of the budget allocated to health has been abysmally low; from 2014 till 2017, the health budget has not exceeded 5% of the entire National Budget, This flies in the face of the Abuja Declaration of 2001 stipulating 15% budgetary allocation to Health. Also, the funds released and utilised falls below the appropriated percentages.

Nigeria's maternal, newborn and child health indicators are very poor leading to high levels of mortality and morbidity whilst the state's obligation to use the maximum of available resources for the fulfilment of the right to health has been neglected.. Lives have been lost and the constitutional right to life of citizens is under threat.

Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), the Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria (HERFON) with the support of Citizens Wealth Platform and the Health Sector Reform Coalition call on all Nigerians to sign this petition for the allocation of not less than 1% of the CRF for the implementation of the Fund in the 2018 Federal Budget.

Sign up today to save lives and protect the well being of Nigerians!