FG restores health regulators’ funding to settle UAE agreements
President Bola Tinubu has restored funding for 13 National Health Regulators across the country.
Government stopped their funding in the 2024 budget as a measure to ensure transparency and efficient use of government resources.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Dr Ali Pate, made this known after the Federal Executive Council meeting on Wednesday in Abuja.
He said this would improve the regulation of health infrastructure and consumables across the medical and pharmaceutical sector.
The 13 agencies whose fundings are restored were the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria, Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria and Institute of Chartered Chemists of Nigeria.
Others are the Radiographers Registration Board of Nigeria, Institute of Public Analysis of Nigeria, Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria, Health Records Registration Board of Nigeria and Community Health Practitioners Registration Board of Nigeria.
Also affected by the new directives are the Medical Rehab Therapists Registration Board, Dental Technologists Registration Board of Nigeria, Optometry and Dispensing Opticians Registration Board of Nigeria and the Dental Therapists Registration Board of Nigeria.
Pate also disclosed that the council also took decision to restore correct pricing of syringes and other medical consumables across the country.
He said council approved that the replacement and recruitment of health workers should be extricated from the office of the Head of service to allow for a speedy process and boost manpower of health facilities occasioned by shortage and leaving of health professionals.
The health minister said that local manufacturers of health items would continue to receive encouragement from government towards making them accessible and affordable to citizens.
He added that a committee had been mandated to look at policies hindering local production of medical equipment and items in country.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, said that the President directed his office to explore legislation that impedes the flow of Foreign Direct Investments into the country.
He said that specifically the issue of the various agreements entered into with the United Arab Emirate took the front burner where it was agreed that all hindrances to the agreement be quickly cleared through proper legislations.
Fagbemi said council approved that moving forward a national policy on taxation that would encourage Foreign Direct Investment flow be prepared for NASS ratification.
“The council noted that the agreement between both countries included personal income tax, company income tax, petroleum profit tax, information technology levy, tertiary education tax and capital gain tax.
“Because of the effect of this cooperation or the benefits that will accrue to Nigeria, the council agreed and directed that agreement that had been signed already should be taken further by mandating the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice to prepare a bill to take to the National Assembly for ratification,” he said.
