FCTA appeals to NASS to pass bill establishing primary healthcare board

FCTA appeals to NASS to pass bill establishing primary healthcare board
By Mustapha Sumaila
Bill
Abuja, May 16, 2018 (NAN) The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has appealed to the National Assembly (NASS) to pass the bill establishing the Primary Health Care Development Board and Health Insurance for the territory.
The Secretary of FCT Health and Human Service Secretariat, Mrs Amanda Pam, made the appeal at the stakeholders dialogue it organised in collaboration with Health Policy Plus (HP+), an NGO, in Abuja on Wednesday.
Represented by a Director of Public Health at the Secretariat, Dr Humphrey Okoroukwu, she said the need for the bill to be passed and be assented to would make it possible for FCT residents to benefit from Federal Government’s goal on Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Pam said that it was regrettable that all states in the federation had a bill backing the establishment of primary healthcare development agencies except FCT.
According to her, the FCTA had submitted executive bill to NASS for the establishment of a primary health care board.
“The FCTA in line with the agenda of Mr President, places high priority to the goal of revitalisation of the primary health care system for UHC in Nigeria.
“And we have also undertaken development of PHC infrastructure across the six area councils, we engaged and deployed health workers to the facilities,’’ he said.
The Country Director of HP+, Mr Onoriode Ezire, said that it was sad that the act establishing FCT Primary Health Care Development Board had not been legislated by the NASS.
Ezire explained that the dialogue was convened to begin the process and ensure the bill was passed and assented to by the president.
According to him, about N1 billion captured in 2018 budget for the health sector cannot be accessed until the establishment of FCT primary health care board is backed by law.
He added that if such bill was passed it would impact on the lives of millions of residents of the territory.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the dialogue was attended by legislators from NASS, traditional rulers, health officials from the FCTA, health partners and experts, among others. (NAN)
MS/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola