Hon Chike John Okafor On The Urgent Need To Avert A National Health Crisis Through Revitilization And Adequate Funding Of The Pry Healthcare Systems.

The House declared STATE OF EMERGENCY IN THE HEALTH SECTOR today, the 20th of October 2016 and urges the Federal Government to commence the implementation of at least 15% of the National Budget to Health Sector. This is as a result of the motion moved by Hon. Dcn, Chike John Okafor, Member Representing Ehime Mbano/Ihitte Uboma/Obowo Federal Constituency (Chairman, House Committee on Healthcare Services, House of Rep, Abuja).

Attached is a copy of the motion for more details. 

Hon. Dcn, Chike John Okafor

Hon. Chike Okafor:

The House:

Notes that the wealth of any nation is the health of its citizens as advancement in the health sector and wellness of Nigerians will speed up economic recovery, especially during this period of recession; 

Aware that previous Governments at all levels had invested considerably, but not enough to improve the sector commensurately as the state of health services and Primary Healthcare Centre’s remain dysfunctional; 

Also aware that about 80% of ailments such as malaria, pneumonia, diarrhea, etc. and services including ante-natal and normal deliveries, minor injuries, and immunization against vaccine and other preventable diseases, are treated at that level; 

Further aware that about 90% of the 34,000 Primary Healthcare Centre’s in Nigeria are not functional at the moment, and according to a recent United Nations (UN) report, most of the PHCs do not have basic functional equipment and staff; 

Worried that: Nigeria is about to witness a shortage of vaccines as major donor agencies commence gradual withdrawal of support for funding vaccine procurements in Nigeria, and if adequate budgetary allocation is not made to the health sector, the result would be better imagined; 

Also Worried that: funding remains a significant threat to the attainment of universal health coverage, given that Nigeria has consistently not allocated up to the minimum required 15% of the National Budget to the Health sector, as recommended by the African Heads of State Summit in Abuja in 2011, otherwise known as the Abuja Declaration;  

Concerned that this might have contributed greatly to the non-attainment of the health related aspects of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Nigeria before the programme lapsed in December, 2015 and this portends great danger for the health and economic well-being the of current and future generations of Nigerians; 

Cognizant that the nation is already witnessing the manifestations of the weak Primary Healthcare System in Nigeria, like the sporadic outbreak of cholera in parts of the South-East and Northern zone of the country, the new cases of Lassa fever in the South-South and now the resurgence of polio in the North East, which threatens to spread to other parts of Nigeria if urgent measures are not taken to address the matter; 

Resolves to: 

• Urge the Federal Government to commence the implementation of the Abuja Declaration by appropriating at least 15% of the National budget to the Health Sector in the 2017 Appropriation; 
• To declare a state of emergency on the health sector.
• Mandate the Committee on Healthcare Services to convene a public hearing to identify, harmonise and streamline additional sources of funding from Donor Agencies, National and International Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) Bilateral and Multi-Lateral Agencies and Donors, including the Global Fund, and report back to the House within four (4) weeks, for further legislative action.