The National Assembly has revealed plans to increase its present total allocation for the health sector in the 2017 budget from N304billion (4.17% of total budget) to N1.1trillion.

This increase falls in line with the 2001 Abuja Declaration, which recommends that a minimum 15% of total annual budgets be dedicated to the health sector.

“There shall be increased appropriation by the National Assembly to the health sector in 2017 in line with the African Union Abuja Declaration of 2001,” Lanre Tejuosho, chairman, Senate Committee on Health, said.

Nigeria spends over N314 billion annually on medical treatment abroad. In fact, the President himself is at the moment receiving treatment in the UK for an unknown ailment.

Also, latest statistics from the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) ranked Nigeria as the second largest contributor to a number of preventable deaths among children below the age of five and women of child-bearing age across the world. A trend which should be reversed if the parliament’s move goes through.

Anita Fatunji