Fully implement Health Act, physician urges FG
The President of the Commonwealth Medical Association, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, has called on the federal government and stakeholders in the health sector to play their respective roles in the full implementation of the National Health Act for the good of all Nigerians.
Recalling the struggles that led to the enactment of the National Health Act in 2014, Enabulele, highlighted some of its key features which are designed to bring about improvements in Nigeria’s health sector.
He spoke while delivering a keynote address with the theme: Implementation of the National Health Act: The bedrock for improving the Nigerian health sector,’’ during the opening ceremony of the national executive council meeting of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) in Abuja.
Acknowledging the efforts of non-state actors, the 8th National Assembly and the federal government that ensured the allocation of the basic healthcare provision fund in the 2018 Appropriation Act as well as its subsequent disbursement, he however, stated that there were still many other significant provisions of the National Health Act yet to be given concrete expression.
“These include the provision of the prescribed quality requirements and certificate of standards aimed at quality regulation and standardization of operations in the health sector and the development of an appropriate and strategic health human resource development plan.
“Others are adherence to the provisions restricting the utilization of public funds for unwarranted foreign medical travels by public officers, practical activation of the prescribed functions of national tertiary health institutions standards committee as well as the establishment of the emergency medical treatment committee and activation of its prescribed functions, amongst other provisions yet to be implemented,” Enabulele said.
He therefore, called for urgent review of the implementation framework of the basic healthcare provision fund.
While urging the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors and other non-state actors and stakeholders to play roles that are more active in the implementation of the National Health Act, Enabulele informed that the first requirement needed for them and other stakeholders to play their roles is the acquisition of appropriate information and knowledge on the contents of the Act.
He called for capacity building and information dissemination on the basic provisions of the National Health Act, adding that “this will empower the citizens to demand expression of their health rights as well as accountability and transparency in the implementation of NHA.
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” You can only demand for accountability and expression of your health rights if you know what is contained in the National Health Act.
“You cannot demand for it if you lack knowledge of its contents. So, to prevent the NHA from going the way of the Child Rights Act and the Freedom of Information Act, it is important that you get informed and build your capacity to engage those in government.’’
