The Senate Thursday said that it is working on a legislation aimed at increased funding for the health sector.
Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Senator Lanre Tejuoso (Ogun Central) stated this at a news briefing in Abuja.
He noted that the proposed Legislative Network in Universal Health Coverage will ensure improved appropriation to the health sector.
This, it said, would deepen the knowledge of lawmakers on economic, social, health and political benefit of improved health funding towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Tejuoso disclosed that the Legislative Network is expected to be unveiled next week by Senate President Bukola Saraki at a two-day summit in Abuja.
The Network, he said, also seeks to expand access to quality health care.
Tejuoso said that the objectives of setting up the network included improved appropriation to health sector by deepening the knowledge of lawmakers on economic, social, health and political benefit of improved health funding towards UHC; ensure prompt and adequate release of allocated funds by working with lawmakers to make relevant central budget agencies accountable for fund release; ensure timely passage of relevant high quality health laws especially the legal framework for National Health Insurance Scheme and State Supported Health Insurance Scheme (SSHIS).
Other objectives include leveraging the oversight and accountability functions of the lawmakers to assess and improve quality and efficiency of implemented health projects irrespective of the funding sources; gauge citizen satisfaction on health service delivery and performance of specific heath schemes and enhance sustained learning among law makers across states and between state lawmakers and their federal counterparts.
He said, “While there are ongoing pockets of health related efforts by national and state lawmakers, the Senate Committee on Health in collaboration with development partners have resolved to institute a Legislative Network on UHC to harness and align the roles of lawmakers towards advancing UHC cause and serve as a veritable tool for coordination and learning among federal and state lawmakers.
“All hands are on deck to ensure that the Network does not end with its inauguration. A course of action for operationalizing, it will be charted and a performance framework for measuring success will be agreed upon,” the lawmaker said.
