Reps back establishment of health bank

The House of Representatives has indicated interest to support the idea of a bank for the health sector as suggested by the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA).

This was as the speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, assured that the 9th house would continue to prioritise the health sector with a view to ensuring better service delivery for Nigerians.

Addressing a delegation of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) led by its president, Innocent Ujah, who paid him a courtesy call on Wednesday, the speaker said the house would look at the issue of the outstanding allowances of the Nigerian health workers.

Gbajabiamila also assured that the house would fast-track the legislative process on a bill to repeal and re-enact the Nigeria Medical and Dental Council Act.

“Healthcare is one of the major areas of focus of the 9th House Legislative Agenda. We will continue to stand with you and anything that will help our country move forward. You can’t talk about nation-building without getting your healthcare delivery right.

“Be rest assured that you have in this institution a friend. We will work with you. I must commend you that under the difficult terrain you work in, you’re still able to do your job,” he said.

“We’ll like to explore the idea of a health bank further. We’ll work with our doctors in the House to know how we can go about it. If you can give us a little synopsis of it, we’ll work with it” the speaker said.

He also said the house would look at the suggestion to review the retirement age for medical doctors and other health workers.

“On the increase in budget allocation, I believe it has been increased to some extent. I don’t know the exact figure right now, but we’ll look at it. If there’s need to review it further, we’ll do that”, Gbajabiamila stated.

Against insinuations in some quarters that the health sector has the least budget of about N43 billion, the speaker said the sector gets over N1 trillion budgetary allocation.