Declare state of emergency in public health sector, senate tells FG

*Calls for reduction in maternal, newborn and infant mortality rate

Concerned about the alarming decay of infrastructure in public health institutions which has rendered hospitals and other healthcare facilities ineffective, the Senate has called on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in the public health sector in the country.

The legislators at the plenary on Tuesday also urged the executive to provide special funding for the overhaul of at least one government owned medical facility in each of the six geo-political zones of the country every year.

The Senate noted the break down in infrastructure occasioned by epileptic power and inadequate water supply resulting in unhygienic conditions which further increases the risk of hospital acquired and transmitted infections.

The resolution was sequel to a motion on the urgent need to declare the state of emergency sponsored by Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi (Kaduna North).

The Senate further noted that critical diagnostic equipment such as MRI, CT Scan, Ultrasound etc essential for providing efficient diagnosis are either nonfunctional or not available and coupled with lack of lifesaving medicaments and drugs which are inadequate and in most cases unavailable to dispense to patients who thronged these facilities in search of treatment for their various conditions.

The upper legislative chamber expressed concern that the situation has compounded the dearth of ability to attract the required calibre of health professionals and skilled manpower in the public health institutions

“The sorry situation in our public health institutions has resulted in increased medical tourism by Nigerians, with the attendant outflow of hard earned foreign currency to the tune of several millions of dollars spent on medical care annually in Europe, America, Asia an even some African countries to the detriment of our own health institutions”

Relatedly, the Senate also on Tuesday mandated its Committees on Women Affairs and Health to liaise with the Federal Ministries of Women Affairs and Health on ways to curb maternal, newborn and infant mortality in the country and report back to the Senate.

This followed the concern of the Senate on the alarming maternal and infant mortality rate in Nigeria as statistics have shown that every single day, Nigeria loses 2,300 under-five year olds and 145 women of childbearing age. This, made Nigeria the second largest contributor to the under-five and maternal mortality rate in the world.

This, was attributed to factors of preventable or treatable infections such as malaria, pneumonia, diarrhea, measles and HIV/ AIDS which account for more than 70% of these deaths.

Consequent upon a motion sponsored by Senator Ahmed Ogembe (Kogi Central), the Senate was worried that the death of newborn babies in Nigeria represent a quarter of the the total number of deaths of children under-five and majority of these deaths occur within the first week of life.

The Senate further expressed worries that a woman’s chance of dying from complications during pregnancy and delivery in Nigeria is one in ten births, noting that the coverage and quality of healthcare services in Nigeria have continued to fail women and children.

It, however, suggested that essential interventions reaching women and babies on time is capable of averting most of the deaths.