Health Policy and Finance

At the end of the course, students should be able to: 1. demonstrate knowledge of expertise of the health care system of Nigeria; 2. describe how public health and health care are organised and financed in Nigeria; 3. communicate health policies to a community using appropriate media; 4. discuss the concept of demand and supply and its application in health care; 5. identify the roles of various health care agencies and their respective policy documents in Nigeria; 6. discuss public health policy making and health reform; 7. demonstrate knowledge of how politics and socio-economic policies affect health care system in Nigeria; 8. demonstrate skills in health care budgeting and critically evaluate health care financing; and 9. evaluate other Government policies that have bearing to health.

The course is designed to acquaint students in the discipline of health sciences with management information and skills in matters relating to all aspects of the national health care systems and Policies, (the primary health care, the secondary health care and the tertiary health care systems). The course gives an overview of the national health policy and the development of the national health systems. Introduction to Nigeria Health care system. Definition of Health Economics and health care finance. Principles of demand and supply and their application to health care. How societies pay for health care services. Primary role of finance in Health care organisation, the four Cs, cost, cash, capital and control. Health Financing and different methods of Financing Health needs. Principles and practice of Health Insurance Scheme and challenges of the programme. Health Policy Management. National Health Care Agencies in Nigeria. Process of Health Budgeting Law making in State and Federal Government. Social Policies for vulnerable populations in Nigeria. Evaluation of Health care policies. Elements of financial management, health care settings, Government Hospitals, Private Hospital, Private no Profit Hospitals, other sources of health care like patent medical stores in village communities. Outpatient care, long term care and its cost implication. Regulations and Legal Issues in health care and its financing. Health care budget and financial challenges of the health care system.