By Asma’u Ahmad
A medical researcher, Dr. Bamidele Iwalokun, said the proposed budget allocation to health sector in 2017 would make healthcare delivery more effective and reduce the nation’s health problems significantly.
Dr. Iwalokun, who is the Head of Immunology and Vaccinology Research Department, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Yaba, Lagos, stated this in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.
President Muhammadu Buhari, had on December 14 presented 2017 budget proposal of N7.298 trillion to the joint session of the National Assembly.
In the budget, N252.87 billion was earmarked for the Ministry of Health as recurrent expenditure and provision for the payment of salaries and overheads, while N51 billion was set aside for capital expenditure.
He said: “The proposed amount allocated to health in 2017 will make healthcare delivery more effective and reduce the nation’s health problems to a non-significant level by 2030-2050.
President Muhammadu Buhari
“Nigeria is plagued with so many health issues that make our environment relatively unsafe for children under-five, pregnant women and patients with suppressed immunity.”
According to him, the country need more trained health personnel, medicines, diagnostics and safety measures to address these problems.
“With the 2017 budget proposal, it also means that health can benefit from the N2.24 trillion allocated for capital expenditure (30.7 percent of the total budget) in the areas of infrastructure such as second-line.
“Anti-Tuberculosis Resistance Testing and Treatment Centres, reference and research laboratories to support surveillance of malaria, human papilloma virus and Lassa fever virus,” Iwalokun said.
He said that spending the money allocated to health would still be highly challenging as it has been many years back.
Dr. Iwalokun said that a way of achieving this was to make the parastatal agencies under the Ministry of Health to be more functional and alive to the mandate that created them in the first place.
