The National Health Bill will be ready before December 25, Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has said.

 

He expressed the optimism on Monday evening in Abuja during the inauguration of Boards of Management of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital, Bauchi; National Obstetric Fistula Centre, Abakaliki; and National Ear Care Centre, Kaduna.

 

The wife of the Governor of Ebonyi State, Mrs. Josephine Elechi, is Chairman of the Board of National Obstetric Fistula Centre, Abakalik.

 

The senator representing Delta North Senatorial District urged the new boards to make significant contributions to the success of their respective institutions.

 

He said, “Before Christmas, we hope that we’ll be able to deliver the National Health Care Bill in the Senate and it will move to the House of Representatives for concurrence.”

 

Speaking on the strike threats by doctors under the aegis of the Nigerian Medical Association, Okowa appealed to both government and the doctors, including other aggrieved professional bodies in the sector, to embrace dialogue.

 

He said, “As long as we continue to waste our time on in-fighting between one association, or one union or the other, we’ll definitely be dissipating our energy on wrong issues and we will not be providing the best of care for Nigerians.”

 

He advised the Ministry of Health to ensure that all groups are carried along in all discussions in order to forestall incessant strikes in the health sector.

 

In his address, the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, appealed to the boards to provide oversight functions in the management of their relevant health facilities and ensure the implementation of government policies.

 

He also counselled them to make effective utilisation of resources, observe extant laws and regulations and ensure accountability for funds and performance.

 

These functions, according to him, are their roles and not just the day-to-day administration of the institutions

BY FRIDAY OLOKOR