From Bashir Mayere (Abuja)
The National Assembly says it will continue to give supports to the health sector in an effort to improve the it thereby securing the lives of Nigerians.
The President of Senate, Senator Ahmed Lawan represented by the Deputy Chief whip, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi stated this while declaring open a one-day public hearing on five Health Bills.
The President of the Senate believed that the five bills are some how interrelated to each other seeking to improve health care delivery system to Nigerians.
Ahmed Lawan said considering the importance of the bills, the Senate deliberated on and now forwarded it to stakeholders as part of it’s legislative duty for additional and robost informations that would make the bills more beneficial.
He however charged the participants to stay away from sentiments and do what is required of them as health professionals so that Nigerians can reap the dividend of their expertise.
The Senate President appealed to health professionals for a fruitful contribution for successful establishment of health laws and institution that would secure the lives of all.
In his welcome address, the Chairman Senate Committee on Health, Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe assured that the committee welcomes fruitful contributions that would immensely help in the establishment of these laws.
He said the idea is to have laws that will improve the health system of Nigerians and institutons that provide required manpower for the development of the health sector.
The five Bills include a bill for an act to establish Advanced health care Development fund, a bill for the establishment of the Federal Tertiary teaching hospital Development Tax fund and a bill to repeal and re enactment of Medical and Dental council of Nigeria.
The remaining two bills are a bill for the establishment of Federal University of Health Science Otukpo in Benue state and a bill for the establishment of National maternal and perinatal deaths surveillance.
Many health professional bodies, Organisations and experts attended the hearing for their inputs on the bills.