The Senate on Wednesday disclosed ongoing plans to increase the 2017 budget of the health sector in the country to N1.1 trillion in line with African Union Abuja Declaration of 2001, which recommends a minimum of 15 per cent of total annual budgets of member states for the health sector.
The recurrent in budget for the Ministry of Health for 2017 is N87 billion, while capital budget is N51 billion.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Senator Lanre Tejuosho, who made this known while briefing journalists, decried the expenditure of over $1 billion (about N305.250 billion) annually for medical treatment abroad.
Tejuosho said this was unacceptable.
He said: “Despite being a signatory to the 2001 African Union Abuja Declaration, Nigeria has not met with the minimum requirement of allocating 15 per cent of the total annual budget to health.
“Not surprising, we could not meet the Millennium Development Goals target.
“We, as senators and members of the House of Representatives, feel the pain of the average Nigerian, more so in the face of the current recession and the attendant hardship it has brought on the people.
“Therefore, the 8th National Assembly as champions for improved health sector, is committed to increased appropriation to the health sector in 2017 in line with the African Union Abuja Declaration of 2001, which recommends a minimum of 15 per cent of total annual budgets to be dedicated to health.”
Tejuosho also said that the Senate was working assiduously to turn the country’s health sector around for the benefit of Nigerian.
Tejuosho noted that as at mid-October 2016, the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, informed his committee that the country was spending over $1 billion annually on medical treatment abroad
He said that the minister agreed that such external expenditure was not good for the country’s economy.
He noted that at an exchange rate of N305.25 (Central Bank of Nigeria rate for February 2, 2017), the local equivalent of the expenditure is N305.250 billion.
Trending
- Breaking: Man City knocked out of Champions League by Real Madrid
- Breaking: Arsenal out of Champions League
- Alleged fraud: EFCC withdraws operatives from Yahaya Bello’s house
- Police recover day-old baby abandoned on Lagos road
- Two friends docked for allegedly flogging woman in Ibadan
- Abuja court gives EFCC go-ahead to arrest ex-Kogi Governor, Yahaya Bello
- Bello Vs EFCC: Confusion as court of coordinate jurisdiction flouts restraining order
- Alleged N150m bribery: Court admits documents in evidence against oil magnate, Akindele