By Hassan Zaggi
The Health Sector Reform Coalition (HSRC) and Legislative Network for Universal Health Coverage (LNU) in collaboration with several stakeholders have embarked on an inclusive process to review and recommend amendment of the NHAct to foster better health systems.
Findings by The AUTHORITY revealed that the coalition is seeking for input from stakeholders in the health sector.
While calling on the stakeholders to make available their input, a source said: “As a stakeholder, your voice is vital in identifying the gaps, and priority issues in the current Act requiring amendments.
“We, therefore, solicit your input to identify areas, gaps, opportunities in proposing amendments to the Act.
“We are interested to have your input on issues to prioritize in the process, so as to ensure the changes proposed to be prioritized are collective.”
It would be recalled that 6 years after the National Health Act was signed into law by former President Goodluck Jonathan, many important provisions of the Act are yet to be given concrete expression.
National Health Act 2014 (NHA 2014) was signed into law on October 31, 2014. It provides a legal framework for the regulation, development, and management of Nigeria’s Health System.
Some major features of the Act which were designed to bring about improvement in Nigeria’s health sector, are yet to be implemented.
Some of the areas that need urgent implementation include the prescribed quality requirements and certificate of standards aimed at quality regulation and standardisation of operations in the health sector, development of an appropriate and strategic health human resource development plan; and adherence to the provisions restricting the utilisation of public funds for unwarranted foreign medical travels by public officers.
Others areas are the practical activation of the prescribed functions of the National Tertiary Health Institutions Standards Committee; as well as the establishment of the Emergency Medical Treatment Committee and activation of its prescribed functions, among other provisions yet to be implemented.
