Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has assured that the House will move to right the wrongs of access to quality, affordable and equitable healthcare services through laws.
Speaker Abbas specifically lamented that Nigeria Primary Health Care (PHC) has not been where it ought to be.
Abbas stated this on Wednesday at a retreat for members of the house committee on healthcare services, with a theme; Improving Health Outcomes Through Effective Legislations for Primary Health Care and Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Abuja.
He said the 10th House would build a strong partnership with development partners as well as effective legislation to improve primary healthcare.
Represented by Dr Adesua Osawaro, a membrr from Edo State, the speaker observed that as long as there is collaboration, primary healthcare services can work in Nigeria.
The Speaker, stressed that the nation’s primary healthcare is not the way it should be when a comparative analysis is conducted between primary healthcare in Nigeria and other climes.
Chairman of the committee, Dennis Idahosa, noted that despite its undeniable importance, PHC challenges ranging from dilapidated infrastructure, shortages of skilled health workers, limited demand for PHC services, gross underfunding and painfully, perceived lack of absorptive capacity leading to low budget execution and return of funds.
According to him, all the challenges and more hinders the ability of the health system to fulfil its potential, adding that effective legislation plays a central role in shaping and strengthening the health system through well-tailored and contextualised laws and policies.
