Kano health official cites bureaucracy, training gaps in accessing emergency funds

Dr Suleiman Illiyasu, Kano State Epidemiologist, has identified bureaucracy, knowledge gaps, and weak systems as major barriers to accessing health emergency preparedness funds in the state. He made the remarks during a key informant interview as part of a three-day capstone project by Connected Development's Follow The Money initiative. Illiyasu pointed out that although funds under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) are available nationally, administrative bottlenecks and limited technical capacity hinder their disbursement and use at the state level. "Definitely, knowledge gaps among stakeholders are one of the key problems. We need to bridge the gaps through training and retraining of people at all levels," he said. Poor coordination and infrequent engagement among implementing agencies further disrupt health financing programmes. Illiyasu stressed the need for digital tracking tools and dashboards to improve transparency, citing irregular supervision and weak feedback mechanisms as ongoing challenges. He noted that frequent changes in administrative personnel disrupt continuity in health programmes. Despite improvements in emergency response structures, he added, current funding levels are insufficient for Kano's growing population due to migration and demographic pressures. "The funding is there, but it is not enough. With the increasing population and migration into Kano, what we are getting cannot fully meet the demand for emergency preparedness," he said. Muhammad Gimba, lead project officer of Follow The Money, called for stronger monitoring of BHCPF implementation to ensure funds reach intended beneficiaries. He said the capstone projects aim to strengthen accountability and ensure citizens can track health security initiatives like the NCDC gateway and BHCPF mechanisms.

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