NMA urges improved drainage systems, health facilities in FCT

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has called on government to improve the drainage systems in primary healthcare facilities, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to address outbreaks of cholera during the rainy season.

Chairman of the FCT chapter of the association Dr. Enema Amodu made the call in Abuja during the annual general meeting and scientific conference of the association.

He said, “It is quite unfortunate that the FCT which is supposed to be an urban city is bedevilled with cholera outbreak anytime we are in this season.

“The simple basic thing will be to improve on the drainage. If there’s rainfall, for instance, you find out that the gutters and drainage system get overflooded and the water spills everywhere. Some of the water is what is used to wash fruits that people consume,” he said.

He said even in some areas within the city centre, good toilet facilities and portable water are absent.

He said strengthening primary health care would take a lot of load off the secondary and tertiary health care institutions.

The Minister of State FCT, Dr. Ramatu Tijani-Aliyu, said the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) was being implemented in the FCT using one primary healthcare facility per ward.

She said for the first time, the annual budgetary provision for primary healthcare centres in the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has improved from 30 per cent to 50 per cent in 2021.