Joint coalition of civil societies and health organisations in Nigeria has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to sign the National Health Bill that has been passed by the two arms of the National Assembly into law.

The organisations, under the aegis of Health Sector Reform Coalition, HSRC, made the call at a media briefing in Abuja during the week through Executive Secretary, Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria, Dr. Mohammed Lecky.

 

The group noted that absence of a National Health Act to back up the national health policy was a fundamental weakness that needed to be tackled.

“This weakness means that there is no health legislation describing the national health system and defining the roles and responsibilities of 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,” the coalition said.

 

It added: “With this singular action, the House of Representative and the Senate have now passed the National Health Bill and have demonstrated their support in advancing and ensuring every Nigerian’s fundamental right to health. The passage of the National Health Bill by the National Assembly would undoubtedly go down in history as the most significant legislative achievement.”

 

When signed into law by the President, the National Health Bill will become an act to provide a framework for the regulation, development and management of national health system. It will among others set standards for rendering health services throughout Nigeria.

HSRC maintained that the Bill established the national health system by clearly providing and allocating responsibilities for health and eligibility for health services.

 

“It clearly states the functions of the Federal Ministry of Health, the State Ministries of Health and local government health authorities, the ward health committees, the village health committees and the private health care providers.

“It provides persons living in Nigeria the best possible health services within the limits of available resources, set out rights and duties of health care providers, protects, promotes and fulfils the rights of the people of Nigeria to have access to health care services,” the group stressed.

 

The Senate had earlier passed the Bill this year, prompting concurrence by the House of Representatives. Having been passed by the House earlier this week, the President assent is now required to give force into the Bill and thereby transform it into law. This is the second time the Bill, which began its journey in the National Assembly about a decade ago, will be presented to the President.