The fifth Legislative Summit on Health has called for urgent and comprehensive reforms in Nigeria’s health sector. Held in Abuja, the summit was themed “Improving Legislative Stewardship and Accountability for Universal Health Coverage (UHC).”
Chair of the National Assembly Senate Committee on Health, Sen. Ipalibo Banigo opened the event by emphasising the necessity of collaboration among government bodies, development partners and the private sector to enhance healthcare outcomes. Banigo highlighted Nigeria’s low health insurance coverage and urged increased public funding, particularly for vulnerable populations.
While commending the framework of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), she stressed the need for legislative initiatives to secure adequate funding and ensure transparency and accountability. Addressing recent global health crises, Banigo called for stronger legislative frameworks to improve epidemic preparedness and resilience at both national and sub-national levels, underscoring the importance of proactive measures and swift responses to emerging health threats.
Banigo also noted the transformative potential of technology in healthcare delivery, including artificial intelligence, data governance and telemedicine. She urged support for advancing technological systems and ensuring robust training and regulatory standards. Additionally, she acknowledged climate change as an urgent health challenge, advocating for the integration of climate resilience into health policies and the need for sustainable practices and infrastructure to mitigate the health impacts of rising temperatures and extreme weather events.
Reiterating the commitment to equitable access to quality healthcare for all Nigerians, Banigo expressed confidence that the summit would lead to a healthier Nigeria through accountability, transparency, and innovation. She emphasised the importance of sharing knowledge and ideas to improve healthcare delivery across the country, ensuring no region is left behind.
“The three-day summit is expected to yield constructive discussions and actionable strategies towards achieving universal health coverage and fostering a resilient, inclusive and sustainable healthcare system in Nigeria,” she stated.
In his keynote address, Hon. Amobi Ogah stressed the need for the Nigerian government to assume primary responsibility for funding the health sector, particularly for UHC, rather than relying heavily on foreign aid and grants. Ogah highlighted the urgency of providing adequate funding for health services and pointed out critical gaps in the current budget allocations for diseases like malaria and tuberculosis. He also called for increased legislative stewardship, accountability and responsible leadership to ensure that public funds are properly managed in the health sector.
Nigeria coordinator for prevent epidemics/immunisation programmes at GHAI, Prof. Emmanuel Alhassan announced the development of the Health Security Accountability Framework. “This framework is designed to ensure mutual accountability in spending resources for health and to serve as a template for other health programmes,” he said. Alhassan stressed the importance of not only advocating for increased funding but also ensuring that these funds are used equitably and for their intended purposes.
Coordinator of the Health Sector Reform Coalition (HSRC), Dr. Mustapha Lecky highlighted the significance of collaboration between the National Assembly, State Assemblies, and other stakeholders to achieve UHC. “This collaborative effort is crucial for prioritising legislative issues, ensuring accountability, and leveraging the oversight functions of these bodies to advance the health sector,” he said. Lecky emphasised the shared vision of achieving UHC and their responsibilities as stewards and council members in accountability and oversight.
Director of projects development at the Research and Project Centre (dRPC), Dr. Stanley Ukpai stressed the importance of research and data in health reforms. “Data is critical for informing and guiding effective health reforms,” Ukpai said.
Overall, the summit underscored the collective effort needed to reform Nigeria’s health sector, focusing on legislative priorities, collaboration, and the effective use of resources to achieve universal health coverage.
