Reps demand increase in allocation to health sector in 2024 budget

The House of Representatives on Friday urged the Federal Government to increase the allocation to the health sector in the 2024 budget.

This followed the adoption of a motion presented by a member representing Mushin Federal Constituency ll of Lagos, Fayinka Oluwatoyin, during plenary in Abuja.

Oluwatoyin, who led the debate on the motion titled: “Need for the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHDA) to collaborate with relevant health agencies in states and Local Governments to ensure the functionality of Primary Healthcare Centres,” lamented that Nigeria has an alarming rate of dilapidated health facilities.

He said: “Nigeria has about 39,983 hospitals and clinics as of 2020 with the primary healthcare centres accounting for about 34,000 or 86 percent.

“However, only 20 percent of these primary healthcare centres are functional, with the rural areas, in particular, lacking adequate facilities and staffing.

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“The lack of medical equipment, drugs, qualified personnel, electrical systems, beds, and road networks has increased the death toll in healthcare centers.”

The House, in its resolution, asked 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 medical care for the masses.

The parliament equally appealed to the ministry to collaborate with its state counterparts, local councils, and other stakeholders on the establishment of a task force to eradicate sharp practices in the health sector.

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