By Ndidi Chukwu
Nigeria’s Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki has pledged commitment of the National Assembly to ensure the 1% Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) for National Health Act 2014, is provided in the 2018 budget to support the nation’s goal of attaining Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
The senate president said it is important that the nation prioritizes provision of health care services to all Nigerians, adding that this can be achieved through adequate funding for health.
Senator Bukola Saraki
Senator Saraki said this at a summit on the legislative network for Universal Health Coverage on Monday where he urged the Executives through the Ministries of Health, Finance and Budget and planning to ensure that the 1% CRF is included in the 2018 budget.
He said: “The National Health Act is a law that we at the National Assembly have made, it is to be obeyed and implemented by the executive, it is the responsibility of the executive to include the 1% Consolidated Revenue Fund in the budget and we the legislators will approve it.
“I want to assure Nigerians that once the executive presents the 2018 budget with the 1% CRF, the National Assembly will protect it and ensure it signed, this is the only way we can make funds available for health and give back to the society we serve.”
Saraki added that the focus should be how to improve Primary Health Care and encourage Nigerians to use Primary Healthcare Centres.
In his Keynote address, Minister of Health Professor Isaac Adewole urged the legislators from the states to invest in health to improve the lives of women and children. He emphasized that healthcare financing in Nigeria should not just be the responsibility of the Federal Government.
