how nigerian senate fights for our

How the Nigerian Senate fights for our health

Those that follow the Nigerian health scene will be aware of The

National Health Bill that has been with the National Assembly for

close to two years.

There are fundamental problems with the organisation of health care

delivery in Nigeria. One of the most important lapses is that the most

critical aspect of health care delivery; primary health care is left

in the arms of the weakest part of governance in Nigeria (the Local

Government). The Minister of Health, Prof. Adenike Grange has argued

severally that for things to move forward we need to address this

legistlative dilemma.

To quote her...

"....the absence of a National Health Act to back up the National

Health Policy has been a fundamental weakness which needed to be

tackled frontally. This weakness means that there is no health

legislation describing the national health system and defining the

roles and responsibilities of the three tiers of government and

other stakeholders in the system. This has led to confusion,

duplication of functions and sometimes lapses in the performance of

essential public health functions"

This Bill has been lying with the National Assembly for 2 years.

Health care workers in Nigeria have been literally begging lawmakers

to pass the bill. The WHO made it top of the agenda in a recent

meeting with Nigerian Health care Professionals. A Nigerian National

Health Conference (NHC2006) begged for our National assembly to pass

the bill.

,

After all the public hearings retreats and discussions...read the

reaction of YOUR SENATE

.

Today Thisday reports...

The move to have a National Health Bill for Nigeria suffered a setback

in the Senate as the consideration of the report was suspended during

plenary session yesterday.

The bill was read the second time and referred back to the Senate

Committee on Health for the final legislative work before the end of

the last senate tenure in June 2007.

To conclude legislative work on the bill yesterday, the Chairman of

the Senate Committee on Health, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello presented

the report as scheduled for consideration in yesterday's Senate Order

Paper.

But the Senate Leader, Senator Teslim Folarin immediately moved a

motion for the report to be suspended until the senate revisits its

standing rule 111.

The motion was seconded by the Deputy Minority Leader, Senator

Olorunnimbe Mamora, who was a member of the Health Committee that

worked on the bill in the last senate.

The rule states: "The Legislative business of the Senate which remains

undetermined at the close of session or the life of the Senate shall

be resumed and proceeded with in the same manner as if the session or

life of the Senate has not ended."

Not even the argument of Senator Obasanjo-Bello that the nation is

in dire need of a National Health Bill and that so much work has

gone into the bill including public hearings, retreats and

discussions with various stakeholders could make the senate change

its mind yesterday

.She said: "The bill before you today is probably the most important

bill on Health that will be passed by this distinguished Senate and

probably the most important health bill passed by the Senate in our

country's history concerning the health of the people."

"The need for this bill arises because the Constitution is silent on

health. Health is not mentioned on either the exclusive or concurrent

list. The only area related to health mentioned is Drugs and Poison on

the exclusive list." She stated.

"Being healthy is mainly preventive medicine, which is why Primary

Health care is important and should be the focus on our health

delivery system. Solidifying primary Healthcare is the only way to

improve health for most Nigerians.

She went on: "Yet on born Nigerians will benefit from the impact of

this bill. It provides funding for Primary Health Care, regulation for

carrying out human clinical trials, regulation for transplanting,

rights of health care workers and patients, division of health

responsibilities of Federal and State Governments among other