Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, on Tuesday, presided over a virtual meeting of the National Council on Privatisation (NCP), anchored from the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The Vice President is the Chairman of NCP.
NCP is a Federal Government’s think tank, tasked with determining the political, economic and social objectives of the privatisation and commercialisation of Nigeria’s public enterprises.
Mr Alex Okoh, the Director-General, Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), who is also the Secretary of the Council, spoke with State House correspondents after the meeting, which was NCP’s second for the year.
“Certain memos with respect to critical sectors of the economy were considered from the power sector, also from the health sector.
“Council also took a major decision to adopt the report with the regards to the reform of the healthcare delivery system in the country.
“The report of the consultant was deliberated upon by council and council took a decision that we should continue with the stakeholder engagement in various sectors, with specific regards to the health sector reform.
“What is very clear is the COVID-19 pandemic situation globally has revealed certain lapses and challenges as far the healthcare delivery system in Nigeria is concerned.
“Council in its wisdom has actually started to consider a total review of the health sector about a year ago pre the advent of the COVID-19 crisis,’’ Okoh said.
According to him, the council took a decision that the stakeholder engagement should continue since the reform would impact positively on Nigerians.
The director-general said the reform promised a major universal coverage of healthcare delivery to the generality of Nigerians.
“What we are looking at essentially is a situation where the citizens of this country do not have to pay to receive quality healthcare because ailments and health issues are not what anybody will wish upon himself.
“So, we should not leave people to their own fate once they have a health challenge.
“It is far-reaching and radical reform and we hope that with the continued engagements with all the stakeholders, we should be able to deliver this as a legacy reform programme of this current administration.’’
Also, Osinbajo’s spokesman, Laolu Akande, in a tweet, said that the NCP approved the preparation and presentation, to the President and Federal Executive Council (FEC), a draft legislative instrument to enact the Health Sector Reform Bill and associated legislation.
“The critical point here is that the President Buhari administration’s proposed reforms will ensure that several millions of Nigerians who can’t afford to pay for it, would begin to receive efficient healthcare services once the new system takes off,’’ Akande twitted.
NCP membership also comprises federal ministers and the Central Bank Governor. (NAN)
