The Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, yesterday lend its weight to the Federal government deregulation of the oil sector.
In a press statement signed by its President, Prof Mike Ozovehe Ogirim, the medical doctors however insisted that the deregulation must be on grounds that part of the proposed palliatives would include the immediate release of at least 5 percent of the consolidated revenue fund as the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHPF) which the National Health Act has given to Nigerians and has guaranteed it’s availability.
Ozovehe Ogirim, posited that the fund would revamp Primary Health Care (PHC) and reinvigorate the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to cover all Nigerians.
According to him, “We also press for the immediate rehabilitation and establishment of functional PHC in all the wards nationwide as a way of cushioning the harsh effects of out-of-pocket expenditure and various inequities in Healthcare delivery.
” He further urged the federal government to mobilise contractors to sites of ongoing road rehabilitation as this will reduce delays in reaching health care facilities and reduce road traffic accidents in the country.
“We call for the immediate establishment of National emergency ambulance service for quick rescue and resuscitation of emergencies from our roads, provision of low tariff buses and rehabilitation of our railway system.”