Sufuyan Ojeifo
16 May 2008
Abuja — Regardless of the absence of the Chairman of the Senate Committee on health, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, the Senate yesterday passed the National Health Bill into law.
Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello's absence from Senate was due to the N10 million funding support the Committee reportedly got from the Ministry of Health for the capacity building seminar on the bill, which held in Ghana from March 16-20, this year.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had charged former Minister, Professor Adenike Grange, the former Minister of State, Architect Gabriel Aduku and nine others to court for sharing N300 million unspent 2007 budget of the Ministry.
The Senate Committee Chairman has been running away from arraignment by the EFCC.
Vice Chairman of the Committee, Senator Gyang Dantong presented the Committee report on the National Health Bill.
The Bill provides for the establishment of the Primary Healthcare Development Fund.
The Fund would, among other things, ensure the provision of basic health care facilities through the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
The Fund would be financed from "an amount not less than two per cent of the value of the Consolidated Revenue Fund as well as grants from international donor partners."
Besides, the Bill also provides that 50% of the money from the National Primary Health Care Development Fund would be used for the provision of basic health services for all citizens.
Another 25% of the Fund would be used to provide essential drugs for primary healthcare while 15% of the Fund would be used for "the provision and maintenance of facilities, equipment and transport for primary healthcare."
Ten percent of the Fund would also be used for the development of human resources for primary health care while ten per cent of total cost of projects in any State would be contributed by the benefitting State.
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