Former member representing Makarfi-Kuban Federal Constituency, Kaduna, State Honorable Mohammed Usman has applauded a Non- Governmental Organization for Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) for the roles they are playing at growing the primary health care in the country.
He stated this at the organisations’ forum tagged, “Regional Policy Dialogue on Revitalization of Primary Healthcare”, which took place in Lagos recently.
The legislator expressed excitement over the doggedness of CISLAC for stepping up the health care sector at the grassroots nationwide and encouraged them not to relent in their efforts.
Another special guest, Hon. Bashiru Dawodu, who is representing Oshodi-Isolo constituency, also lent his voice in support of the organization’s efforts and promised to help push bills that would advance the course of primary health care in the green chambers.
A public health physician, Dr Francis Ahanyido , in his presentation stated the urgent need for revitalization of the primary health care system. He pointed out that there was a correlation between healthy citizenry and wealthy nations.
He further stated that workable machinery such as comprehensive insurance scheme needed to be in place, a structure that protects everybody, both the rich and the poor.
He further stated that CISLAC has been able to activate the passage of national health act of one per cent Consolidated Revenue, which has been included in the budget.
According to Ohanyido, the money may not be much, but at least it shows commitment on the side of the federal government. He said that states and local governments also need to play their own part because the federal government can’t do everything.
The Executive Director CISLAC, Auwal Ibrahim Musa, stated that the event was aimed at providing enabling platform for legislators to interact and deepen discussions and proffering holistic solutions to the current trend and challenges confronting adequate accessible and effective primary health care system in the country zone.
According to him, CISLAC has engaged relevant committees on dialogue and conducted site visits to some health care facilities across the six geo-political zones to access the state of those facilities and make far reaching recommendations to inform legislative process towards improved qualitative basic health care service delivery.