Group calls for full implementation of National Health Act

The Chairman, Health Sector Reform Coalition (HSRC), Dr Benjamin Anyene has called on the Federal and State Governments to fully implement the National Health Act (NHA) 2014, to improve healthcare delivery in Nigeria.
Anyene made the appeal while delivering a keynote address at the Annual General Conference Meeting (AGM) of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), FCT chapter, in Abuja.
He said that all the conversation on and around economic recovery and growth plan of the present administration would not be achievable if the Act was not implemented.
“…without the full implementation of the 2014 NH Act, Nigeria’s health sector and services will remain in the doldrums. Full implementation and not piloting holds the key to improving health indices in Nigeria,” the chairman said.
He said the Act provides for establishing and strengthening the national health system, funding the primary healthcare, classification of health establishment, among other factors, that would help in achieving Universal Health Care (UHC).
He called on all parties in the health sector to call a truce for nationalistic reasons.
“All hopes would then have died, let’s wake up this hope today by being alive to our responsibilities. Those in government should govern well; legislators should legislate and oversee with clear eyes; health workers work with patriotism and selflessness as you are obligated to in your oaths. The communities should proactively demand for good and quality health and should be prepared to sanction and chase away the do-nothings,” he said.
He urged members of the Nigerian Medical Association and Nigerians to continue to look outside the box for innovative strategies that would do the country’s health sector a lot good.
Anyene also advised the media and the Civil Society Organisations to assist in refocusing national debate and consciousness towards the realisation that “health is wealth, security for development’’.
Dr Chiedozie Achonwa, the Chairman, NMA FCT chapter, said the association has trained another 100 primary health care workers in the territory over the last one year.
He said that the training was on neonatal resuscitation as NMA’s intervention towards reducing infant mortality in Abuja.
Bilkisu Pai