FG Mulls Legislation to Sanitise Health Sector

James Sowole in Abeokuta

The federal government has said it will soon come up with legislation that would regulate the healthcare sector to eliminate quacks and ensure improved service delivery.
Minister of State for Health, Dr. Tunji Alausa, stated this yesterday, when he paid a courtesy call on the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, at the Presidential Lodge, Abeokuta.

Alausa decried the unwholesome practice where untrained people are allowed to operate in the health sector.
He also lamented the prevalence of quacks from where heinous acts, such as organ harvesting takes place.
The minister said, “We will be pushing for a new regulation to regulate the healthcare sector as more than 60 per cent of the nation’s healthcare is in the hands of the private sector without adequate supervision.

“You see hospitals, laboratories, and diagnostic centres being run without anybody checking on what they are doing and these are some of the places where illegal practices like organ harvesting are taking place.
“What we are going to do at the federal level, is to set up a Health Facility Regulatory Commission that will start regulating the standard of health care across the country and we expect the states to set up their own regulatory bodies as well.”

Alausa also hinted that the federal government is in the process of starting a programme that would increase the production of healthcare providers, starting with the admission of 10,000 medical students every year, while admission for nurses would increase from 28,000 to 68,000, annually.

Throwing more light on the  Sectoral Approach Programme launched by President Bola Tinubu, the minister explained that one per cent of the consolidated fund was for Basic Health Provision, 55 per cent for Primary Healthcare Centres, and 45 per cent for National Health Insurance, while five per cent goes into Emergency Services.

He said Ogun State has been diligent in managing the Basic Health Provision Funds, which is meant for Primary Healthcare Centres, calling on the governor to adequately monitor the fund to ensure that it is directed to where it was meant for.
Alausa stated that his visit was to see how the federal government would strengthen its relationship with state governments in pushing the President’s mandate which is to revive, rejig, evaluate, and overhaul the healthcare delivery system for the benefit of Nigerians.

Responding, Abiodun, said his administration would not hesitate to replicate any federal government action aimed at eliminating quackery in the health sector.