The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has raised concerns over the insufficient funding for Nigeria’s health sector, despite the large amounts allocated each year. He spoke during a public hearing for four bills organized by the House Committee on Healthcare Services at the National Assembly.
The bills being discussed aim to amend the National Residency Training Act, the National Insurance Authority Act, and the National Tobacco Control Act, as well as to establish the Institute of Healthcare Service Administrators of Nigeria.
Hon. Abbas, represented by Hon. Obordor Mitema, stressed that more funding is crucial to improve life expectancy and reduce infant mortality in Nigeria. He also pointed out that the health sector has faced many challenges, such as medical tourism, the loss of skilled healthcare workers, low salaries, and insufficient budgets. He noted that although Nigeria has the highest GDP in Africa, its health progress has been slow and disappointing.
The acting chairman of the committee, Hon. Bassey Akiba, also addressed the challenges in the health sector, including rising healthcare costs, lack of insurance coverage, and high death rates. He emphasized the importance of public hearings in shaping future healthcare policies.
During the hearing, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) suggested that the bill to amend the National Residency Training Act should be put on hold for further input from relevant stakeholders.
