President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday, reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government toward investment in human capital development, especially in the health sector.
The president, represented by Vice-President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, said this at the 58th Annual General Conference and Delegates meeting of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Abuja.
Buhari noted that the right investments had not been made in the health sector in the last couple of years.
He said that the government was working toward attracting core investments to the sector, and get the right infrastructure and professionals to drive the sector.
Buhari said that government, in the recent time, was paying a considerable amount of attention to the importance of human capital development.
He urged medical personnel to show greater understanding with the government, reminding them that all healthcare needs could not be funded from the budgets alone.
The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, said that the health sector, especially Primary Health Care, had not been adequately attended to.
Saraki said this, in terms of the standard medical and infrastructural resources needed for the preservation and advancement of citizens’ lives and the economy.
He said that better healthcare for Nigerians was long overdue; adding Nigeria now had the historic opportunity to put that right.
“Once this 1 per cent is put into law, we as legislators will embark on the next stage, which will be to ensure that we get value for money, for transparency in the use of the funds’’ he said.
Prof .Mike Ogirima, President of the Nigerian Medical Association, said that Nigeria must rise above the present score in the health sector by government implementing all agreements reached with health workers.
“We call on government to establish universities of medical science to forestall dearth of health professionals in all its ramifications.
He also called for the running of non-residency programmes, to bridge the middle level manpower needs of the health industry in the country.
Also,Gen. Yakubu Gowon, former military head of state and chairman of the occasion, called for priority attention to be given to the health sector.
He said that government at all levels should put health matters on top of budgetary consideration and release funds for their implementation. (NAN)
