Stakeholders task legislators on strengthening healthcare system

Development Research Projects Center, (dRPC), has called on new members of parliament, to consolidate on efforts previous government in straightening the primary health care system for efficient service delivery.

Director, Projects Development, dRPC, Dr. Stanley Ukpai, said the last administration did it’s best to entrench the National Health Insurance Scheme, (NHIS), for universal health coverage but there are still gaps to further strengthen the system such that sece delivery percolates efficiency to the clientele.

Speaking at a Two-day Strategic Retreat of the principal officers of the National Assembly on the development of the Legislative Health Agenda, (LHA), of the 10th national assembly health committees, organised by the Legislative Network for Universal Health Coverage in collaboration dRPC, yesterday in Abuja, Ukpai said the meeting is a bridge builder transitioning projects to the new set of legislators.

He said “The retreat is an opportunity for the legislators, especially in the Health Committee to become well acquainted with some of the issues as a form of continuity in the transition process where knowledge is being transferred from the leadership of the last assembly to this assembly. I think it’s a good opportunity for them to get familiar with some of the issues belabouring the health care sector.

“It’s a buildup on the last administration. This is one of the things that we had as challenges, that there isn’t any continuity and I think this is a good example of what continuity can be a launchpad for by consolidating on the gains that the previous administration has achieved and the begin to reduce the indices of things like maternal mortality, neonatal mortality and the rest.”

Senate committee Chair on health, Dr. Ipalibo Banigo pointed that the statutory functions of the legislature includes appropriation, legislation, oversight, accountability and representation.

“It’s a buildup on the last administration. This is one of the things that we had as challenges, that there isn’t any continuity and I think this is a good example of what continuity can be a launchpad for by consolidating on the gains that the previous administration has achieved and the begin to reduce the indices of things like maternal mortality, neonatal mortality and the rest.”

Senate committee Chair on health, Dr. Ipalibo Banigo pointed that the statutory functions of the legislature includes appropriation, legislation, oversight, accountability and representation.

She explains that these have huge implications for development agenda specifically policy for the financing and implementation of social protection including critical health sector initiatives in the country and ths is preserve by the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria particularly under section 4, section 62 (1) and section!80-81 and 120-121 of the 1999 constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria, amended.

“For accelerating progress under the universal health coverage in Nigerian, I am certain that the activities of the legislative network for universal health coverage and the purpose for this retreat has been designed to strengthen the interface between the legislature, executive, the NDAs and others including donor agencies and partners who have the health agenda as priority,” she said.