By Asmau Ahmad
The Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (MWAN) on Friday urged the President-elect, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, to implement the National Health Act. The President of the association, Dr Valerie Obot, made the appeal in an interview with the newsmen in Abuja.
Obot urged the incoming administration to implement the act to boost the health sector.
“We want the incoming administration to make sure the Health Act is properly executed because it will be an advantage on the administration that passed it into law.
“If the incoming administration abandons the health act, then the efforts of the national Assembly and the president would have been in vain,’’ said the president.
Obot also urged the Buhari cabinet to make health care accessible to every Nigerian especially those at the rural areas, women and children under the age of five.
According to her, any special attention given to these groups of people would credit the performance of the administration in the health sector.
“MWAN wants the incoming administration to make available free medical treatment for children under the age of five, people in remote areas and women.
“They should concentrate on handling women’s antenatal, postnatal care and ensure that child mortality, maternal mortality rate which have been on the increase is drastically reduced,” said the president.
She commended President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration for consented to the needs of women, adding that they had benefited from it. Obot advised Mrs Aisha Buhari to maintain the vigour of the present administration towards promoting the cause of women in the country.
“Women have enjoyed so many benefits from the outgoing administration and it will be good for us if women continued to be placed in the right position in the society.
“The next First Lady should also ensure that the 35 per cent affirmative action for women in Nigeria is attained by seeking support from the relevant stakeholders,” she said.
Obot also enjoined the incoming administration to adopt the Violence against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) bill. She said that the passage of the bill into law would address the issue of violence committed against vulnerable persons and women in the country. While congratulating Buhari over his success at the polls, Obot also commended Jonathan for conceding defeat and pledging support to the incoming administration.
