By Haruna Gimba
The Nigerian Medical association (NMA) held an advocacy walk today as peaceful protest to ask the Federal Government of Nigeria for the full implementation of the National Health Act 2014 two years after it was passed.
The walk was also in line with activities to mark the Nigerian Medical association week.
Health Reporters report that the NHAct addresses the challenges of the Health sector in Nigeria.
On October, 20 2016 the Federal House of Representatives during its plenary session urged President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately declare state of emergency in the health sector.
The lawmakers also emphasized the need to commence the implementation of the Abuja Declaration with the view to ensure adequate budgetary allocations for the health sector in the 2017 budget proposal to be transmitted by the president to the joint session of the National Assembly.
During the debate, it was noted that 30 per cent of the 34,000 primary healthcare centers which treats about 80 per cent of the ailments such as malaria, pneumonia, diarrhoea and services including ante-natal and normal deliveries, minor injuries, immunization and other preventable diseases in the country are dysfunctional owing to inadequate funding.
Our correspondent report that the walk Kicked Off on Wednesday around 9am at Headquarters of the NMA in Abuja.
In attendance where civil society organization like Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria(HERFON),CSJ, CHR, Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN), Evidence for Action (E4A), NANTW and representatives of the Market women among others.
The crowd moved to the unity fountain, Abuja, where they were addressed by representatives of the CSOs present.
The President of the NMA, Prof. Michael Ogirima Ozovehe, read the letter to the public; he stressed the need for the full implementation of the NHAct two years after it was passed
