To address pressing health issues facing Nigerians, Lukmon Atobatele, the member representing Abeokuta South State Constituency I in the Ogun state House of Assembly, has called on all tiers of government to step up their efforts, including increasing funding for the health sector.
He stressed that the percentage of health funding in the country is abysmally low compared to global recommendations, noting that the development could hinder progress towards achieving universal health coverage and improving national health outcomes within the nation.
Atobatele while appreciating President Bola Tinubu’s approval of N4.8 billion fund for the procurement of 150,000 HIV treatment packs, following US policy shifts on the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), pointed out that additional funds and work are required.
He opined that the budget for health sector should be increased, adding that the country can handle its health funding needs if government at all levels see it as priority.
Atobatele said, “This isn’t just about people from Ogun or my constituency, whoever that needs medical attention should get it. And if we are saying this is what the government should do I’m part of this government, the only thing we need to do is to implore the government to double up what they are doing in the ministry of health.
“As you know, USA that is the chief donor of most of these agencies have stopped giving funds. And I think about a month or two, President Bola Tinubu approved some huge amount of money to get drugs for HIV and some other patients.
“So they should please do more to what they are doing, they should double up. The budget for health sector should be increased and we don’t need to wait for other agencies to help us, we can do this ourselves.”
The lawmaker spoke on Thursday during a free medical and surgical outreach held at the Ake palace, Abeokuta.
The outreach which had over 2,000 beneficiaries within and outside the state includes treatment of malaria, diabetes, hyppertension, asthma, surgery for breast lumps, hernia, and cataract among others.
Speaking during the outreach, Dr. Olabisi Jagun, a medical professor in Maryland, USA, encouraged residents to put their health first by getting regular checkups to avoid illness and get early treatment if detected.
Similarly, the officer in charge of police medical services in Ogun Police Command, CSP (Dr) Ihegboro Munachiso, maintained
that Nigerians should not neglect their health despite the nation’s economic struggles and urged routine medical examinations.
Meanwhile, Mrs Gloria Okpe, a police officer and Miss Babarinde Stella, who had undergone breast lump surgery, expressed their joy at the procedure’s successful completion, and appealed to well-meaning members of the society to imitate the gesture of the lawmaker in order to bring relief to the less privileged.
Increase funding of health sector – Ogun lawmaker urges govt
