By Matthew Denis
The President of the Senate and Chairman of the National Assembly, Godswill Obot Akpabio, CON, has called for sufficient funding for the health sector.
Akpabio who was represented by the Deputy Leader, Senator Oyelola Yisa Ashiru,at the opening ceremony of the 5th Annual Legislative Summit on Health, on Thursday 18th July 2024, made this call in his opening remarks, calling on his colleagues to ensure sufficient funding for the sector.
” As the saying goes a healthy nation is a wealthy nation. In our quest to booster the prosperity of our nation , the health and well-being of our people must take precedence. We must strive to allocate our resources efficiently to enhance health of our population.
” As a nation, we have embraced the universal health coverage initiative, aiming to ensure that every individual can access necessary health services without facing financial hardship . Addressing the issue of inadequate health access , particularly in rural areas , requires innovative solutions and unwavering commitment.
” While the ultimate goal of this Summit is to enhance legislative stewardship and accountability for universal health coverage, our specific objectives are to broaden our understanding of strategies within the legislature , all geared towards achieving the goals of universal health coverage,” he stated.
The President of the Senate had earlier in his remarks commended the Chairman of the Senate and House committees on health for joining forces with their counter parts in the states to establish this Legislative network for Universal Health coverage , with the invaluable support of the World Health Organization and other development partners.