Declare state of emergency in health sector, Reps urge FG

The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in the health sector and allocate significant votes to it in the 2024 budget estimates.

This followed a motion by Fayinka Oluwatoyin (APC-Lagos) during plenary in Abuja.

The motion was titled, “Need for the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency to collaborate with relevant health agencies in states and Local Governments to ensure the functionality of Primary Healthcare Centres.”

Oluwatoyin, a member representing Mushin Federal Constituency II of Lagos State, noted that Nigeria, being the largest population in Africa, is faced with alarmingly high rates of dilapidated health facilities.

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He said it was estimated that Nigeria has about 39,983 hospitals and clinics as of 2020, with the primary healthcare centres accounting for about 34,000 which is 86 per cent.

He, however, said that only 20 per cent of these primary healthcare centres are functional, particularly in rural areas lacking adequate facilities and staffing.

He said the lack of medical equipment, drugs, qualified personnel, electrical systems, beds, and road networks had increased the death toll in healthcare centres.

This, according to him, necessitated revitalisation with a budget of US$80 million for additional bed spaces.

He said the Federal and State Health Ministries’ inaccurate representation of primary healthcare centres hindered proper budgeting and access to quality healthcare in rural areas.

This, according to him, often leads to premature deaths.

The House, in its resolution, urged the Federal Ministry of Health to encourage States to resuscitate the comatose primary healthcare programmes at the grassroots level.

It urged the ministry to also provide qualitative and affordable Medicare for the masses.

The House further urged the Federal Ministry of Health, in collaboration with State ministries, LGAs and other stakeholders to establish a task force to eradicate sharp medical malpractice.

This, he said, should particularly be in the rural areas and furnish the Committee on Healthcare Services with the summary reports in evaluating the standard of the primary Healthcare Centres from 2016-2022.

NAN