By Hassan John
Stakeholders including Civil Society Organisations CSOs) and health sector advocates have appealed to the Senate to urgently pass the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Health Insurance Bill currently before them.
The stakeholders made the appeal when they paid a courtesy visit to the Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe, at the National Assembly.
It would be recalled that the FCT Health Insurance Bill had since been passed by the House of Representatives but was stepped down when it was penciled for debate at the Senate.
Giving reasons for the visit, Dr. Iwot Ndaeyo, of REGIMA Community Care Foundation said the visit was to appeal to the Senate accelerate passage of the FCT Health Insurance Bill so that vulnerable residents can access healthcare service.
According to him, since we are here in the FCT, we have come to the Senate to appeal, underlining the necessity for passage of the FCT Health Insurance Bill.
“Because it is not only going to allow for inclusive funding, but will also expand access to care, particularly the underserved vulnerable groups including other persons as captured in the National Health Act 2022.
“The FCT has also aligned to the percentage that is to be given to the health insurance. It has been able to demonstrate the capacity to develop financial plan to absorb the amount. The amount will not even be enough.
“At 2 per cent it will not be enough to take care of the structure and the system to drive the insurance at the demand side of the service landscape.
“So, we are here to see the Senate so that we can push the FCT Bill forward so that this Assembly should be able to pass that bill and have the President assent to it so that we can have that Act to take effect in the FCT,” Dr. Ndaeyo further explained.
Responding, Senator Oloriegbe assured the stakeholders that their request will be given the attention it deserved when Senators resume sitting as, according to him, most of the senators have gone for campaign activities.
He said that he would consult the Senate President to know why the FCT Health Insurance Bill was stepped down when it was penciled for debate few weeks back.
“I don’t know who brought the bill, but it came through the House of Representative and it has been passed. It is now in the Senate.
“I learnt it was stepped down by the Senate, but I don’t know why. I will find out from the Senate President to know why it was stepped down.
“Let me hear from the Senate President why the bill was stepped down and the next question will be what should be the proposal because we need money for the health insurance in the FCT,“ Senator Oloriegbe said.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, however emphasized the need for more advocacies to get more funds for the health sector in the FCT.
“In the next few weeks, we will have to call for a public hearing to get views from all stakeholders that are involved in the bill so that we can galvanise ideas and be on the same page for the smooth passage of the bill,” he noted.
He, therefore, advised stakeholders in the health sector on the need for efficient, prudent and judicious use of funds in the health sector.
He lamented the situation where some monies are returned to the federal government for lack of capacity to utilize them by relevant ministries and parastatals in the sector.
