By Haruna Gimba
The National Assembly has declared its support for a report by the National Institute Legislative Studies (NILS), requesting for special funding for maternal and child health in the 2017 budget.
At a joint session of the Senate and House of Representatives in Abuja the lawmakers advised the Federal to earmark funds for the training of healthcare workers across the country as means of improving health care services in Nigeria.
The position of the National Assembly was conveyed at the presentation of a report on government funding obligations on child and family Health by the NILS to the Senate and House committees on national planning and economic affairs, health, and appropriation.
Lamenting the quality of health care service in the country, Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Planning and Economic Affairs, Senator Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso said the situation could be addressed if government embarks on training to boost capacity of health workers.
“If provision is made in that regards, government will be able to train health care workers so as to make up for the shortage of experienced hands which most of our health care institutions are complaining about. If that is done, I think a major part of the problems we have in striving to attain quality healthcare will be taken care of,” he said.
Earlier, in a policy brief on maternal and child health in Nigeria, the NILS while asking for special funding for the health sector in next year’s budget, noted that the National Assembly plays a pivotal role towards winning the fight.
According to the institute, the apex legislative body could achieve the feat by prioritizing the core areas of maternal and child health in the budget, and ensuring effective tracking, monitoring and evaluation of budgetary provisions for the components of Maternal and Child Health, such as nutrition, reproductive health and immunization.
