My FMCs bill will benefit the entire Nigerians, not only for Adamawa people- Sen Binani

By Tom Garba, Yola

Upon the successful conversion of Modibbo Adama University of Technology to a Conventional University Bill, the Senator representing Adamawa Central, Engr Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed (Binani) is working hard with three other bills for the benefit of not only Adamawa people but the entire country.

The Senator through her legislative aide Adamu Ibraheem Jimeta reeled out many benefits of Binani’s bill on the Federal Medical Centre Establishment Bill, 2021 as she presses hard to see it sail through at the floor of the ted chambers.

Ibrahim said that there is a need for the people of Adamawa to understand that the workaholic Binani is on her toes to bring meaningful development for the state and the overall country.

According to him, there is a need to educate the wider population on the outlying and the underlying benefits of why the Bill will establish a new Federal Medical Centre in Adamawa in addition to the existing FMC, Yola.

While stating the benefits, Adamu said, The Bill which was read on Tuesday 9th February 2021and Thursday 18th February 2021 for the first and second reading respectively seeks to address the lacuna in running the affairs of the FMCs nationwide.

“As a Senator of the Federal Republic, Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed (Binani) observed with dismay that the present Federal Medical Centres across the country do not have the legal backing that would ensure efficiency in running the Hospitals.” Adamu

He further explained that Aishatu is the lead debate senator of the bill where she reiterated the need to provide legal backing for all the FMCs across the country.

He revealed that the bill will: “Provide advanced equipment and facilities for diagnosis, curative, promotive and rehabilitative services in medical treatment.

“Be constructed, equipped, maintained, and operated in the light of providing training schools and institutions necessary for providing advanced health care services. And have laboratories, research, and experimental stations necessary for the efficient national health service delivery.”

Senator Binani through her aide however regrets how the noble objectives of why the FMCs were established but no enabling law to back, support, and propel superlative outcomes for the benefit of Nigerians.

“The absence of a legal framework for the regulation, development, and management of Federal Medical Centers to set standards for rendering health services has hindered the ‬provision of intensive, effective and efficient health care services to the people of Nigeria.”

This led to a number of challenges in the health sector including but not limited to under-funding, weak facilities, and infrastructure, the poor motivation of health workers, low budget, conflicts with the political structure of the states, and industrial strikes led to inadequacies, shortcomings, and weaknesses which hinder effective health care delivery services.” She said

Senator Binani while having the floor at the hallow chambers, convinced the Senate that the FMCs Bill, when passed will provide such enabling environment that will facilitate:

“provision of general policies and guidelines relating to major expansion programmes of the Medical Centers, the acquisition of facilities for the training of medical students of associate universities.

“The management and superintendence of the affairs of the Medical Centers, the powers to make, alter and revoke rules and regulations for carrying on the functions of the Medical Centers.

“The fixing of terms and conditions of service, including remuneration of the employees of the Medical Centers which will check the exodus of our doctors and nurses especially when we are faced with the fact that 77% of black doctors in the US are Nigerians and there is rarely any top medical institution in the US or Europe where you don’t find Nigerians managing at the top level. Hardly a year passes without a major national strike by nurses, doctors, or health consultants. The major reasons for these strikes are poor salaries and lack of government investment in the health sector.

“The establishment of a Board that shall ensure that the standards of teaching provided at all establishments under its control and the standards of treatment and care provided for patients at those establishments do not fall below those usually provided by similar establishments of international repute.

With resounding and overwhelming support, Senators took their time in support of the Bill, describing it as timely and commendable.”