The Speaker of the House of Representatives on Wednesday assured Nigerians of the 10th Assembly’s resolve to address myriad of challenges bedevilling Nigeria’s Primary Health Care (PHC) in the country.
Abbas gave the assurance in Abuja during the retreat organised for members of the House Committee on Healthcare Services, with the theme: ‘Improving health outcomes through effective legislations for Primary Health Care and Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
To achieve the feat, the Speaker who was represented by Hon. Adesua Osawaro pledged the House’s readiness to build a strong partnership with Development Partners as well as effective legislation to improve primary healthcare.
While stressing the need for a paradigm shift, he underscored the need for the establishment of PHCs where every citizen can have access to quality, affordable and equitable healthcare services, regardless of their background or financial circumstances.
To this end, he vowed that the House will right the wrong in the health system through effective legislation as enshrined in the 2014 National Health Act.
The Speaker stressed that the nation’s primary healthcare is not the way it should be when a comparative analysis is conducted between primary healthcare in Nigeria and other climes.
In his remarks, the Chairman, House Committee on Healthcare Services, Hon Dennis Idahosa, noted that despite its undeniable importance, PHC challenges ranging from dilapidated infrastructure, shortages of skilled health workers, limited demand for PHC services, gross underfunding and painfully, perceived lack of absorptive capacity leading to low budget execution and return of funds.
According to him, all the challenges and more hinder the ability of the health system to fulfil its potential.
“Empower individuals and communities to actively participate in the planning, implementation, and monitoring of PHC services, ensuring that they are responsive to local needs and priorities.
“Advocate for increased focus in technology and innovation to enhance the efficiency, effectiveness, and accessibility of health services, reaching the most vulnerable populations and bridging geographical divides.
“The aim of the retreat is to address the critical issue that lies at the heart of human capital development and well-being, the pursuit of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) through primary health care and the vital role of effective legislation in achieving this goal, particularly through the collaborative efforts of the executive and legislature.
“Universal health coverage (UHC) is the vision of a world where everyone has access to quality, affordable, and equitable healthcare services, regardless of their background or financial circumstances.
“Achieving UHC is not merely a noble aspiration; it is a moral imperative and a sound investment in our collective future. Why wouldn’t it be? After all, a healthy population is a productive population, contributing to economic growth and social stability. Conversely, poor health hinders individual progress and strains economies, perpetuating cycles of poverty and underdevelopment.
. TheWitness
