NHB lobby switches to implementation

A coalition of nongovernmental organi-sations, which has been in the vanguard in favour of the NHB, commended both the presidency and the National Assembly for representing people who elected them.“By this singular act, Mr. President has taken a giant, international best-practice step towards Universal Healthcare Coverage for all Nigerians; assuring and guaranteeing Nigerian’s fundamental human […]

A coalition of nongovernmental organi-sations, which has been in the vanguard in favour of the NHB, commended both the presidency and the National Assembly for representing people who elected them.
“By this singular act, Mr. President has taken a giant, international best-practice step towards Universal Healthcare Coverage for all Nigerians; assuring and guaranteeing Nigerian’s fundamental human right to health,” said Dr Mohammed Lecky, executive secretary of Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria.
“When the World Health Organization declared that Nigeria had successfully eradicated the Ebola virus within its borders, there was loud global applause for our accomplishment. However, in the midst of this international loud ovation, very few people noticed a quiet but potentially even greater health milestone…the signing of a National Health Bill by President Goodluck Jonathan, which he has now done,” said Dr Lecky.
A raft of changes is expected with the NHB, which guarantees funding from federal government and counterpart finance from states and local government to pay for basic minimum healthcare package; it also seeks to provide care for vulnerable groups as children under age five and women, the elderly and disabled, emergency care.
The NHB is also being praised for seeking to curb use of public funds to pay for medical trips for public servants.
The lead up to the presidential assent to the bill was fraught with revisions and opposition from entrenched interest groups within the health sector.
“We accept that the journey to this point has been tortuous which has turned out to be well worth it. We also recognize that the Health Act remains a framework for which we need to quickly reorganize, reenergize and refocus to take on the undoubtedly arduous task ahead of developing appropriate policy guidance and mechanisms to make the Health Act work,” said Lecky.