- Nigerian Senate has considered establishment of new federal health facilities
- The upper chamber noted that recently they had received numerous requests for the establishment of federal health facilities across the country
- The motion was moved by Senator Matthew Urhoghide (Edo-PDP)
The Nigerian Senate on Tuesday, November 14, began moves to locate federal health facilities in all the six geo-political zones of the country.
The Senate noted that in recent time there has been numerous requests from Nigerians for the establishment of federal health facilities in all six geo-political zones of the country to provide health care services amongst other things.
NAIJ.com gathered that the upper chamber mandated its committees on Health, Primary Health Care and Communicable Diseases to consider all requests for siting of federal health facilities, where they do not already exist, with the intent to correct imbalance in the distribution of the facilities in the country.
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The decision followed a motion moved by Matthew Urhoghide (Edo-PDP). He said: “The Senate notes that in recent times, there has been numerous requests from Nigerians, including legislators; stakeholders and the general public, for the establishment of federal health facilities in all six geo-political zones of the country to provide health care services amongst other things;
“The Senate notes further that some of these requests are currently being considered by this 8th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in its set determination to ensure fairness at all times to all sectors and segments of the country;
“The Senate is aware that till date, no proper template or records exist anywhere in the country mirroring the locational distribution of federal health facilities across the length and breadth of the Nigerian geographical landscape.”
Urhoghide said the absence of such a database or records has made the siting of federal health facilities skewed with some states or geo-political zones having more than others.
He added that such practice violates fairness and the federal character principle, as some sections or people may be disadvantaged as they have to travel far to other locations to access health care.
Adopting the motion, the Senate mandated its “Committees on Health (Secondary & Tertiary) and Primary Healthcare and Communicable Diseases to catalogue all existing health facilities reflecting their locations, size, nature of services rendered, years of construction, present condition and other challenges to form part of the Health Sector Information Bank to date.”
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In a previous report by NAIJ.com the Senate on Tuesday, November 14, approved a $5.5 billion external loan request by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Premium Times reports that the president had in a letter on October 10 requested the Senate to approve $3 billion external loan and $2.5 billion Eurobond or Diaspora bond in the international market.
What must President Buhari do to regain the trust of Nigerians? - on NAIJ.com TV.
Source: Naija.ng