Senator reveals why NASS added BHCPF in 2018 budget

The chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Senator Lanre Tejuoso, has disclosed why the National Assembly, included funding for the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF) in the

In a press statement made available to on Monday, May 21, 2018, Tejuoso noted that the Executive had failed to include the BHCPF in the 2018 appropriation bill submitted to the National Assembly.

The lawmaker noted that the BHCPF would ensure access to basic healthcare for Nigerians as means of achieving the Universal Health Care (UHC) for the country.

“While the Executive did not include the BHCPF in the 2018 appropriation bill submitted to the National Assembly, the Senate embarked upon a phenomenal task of ensuring the inclusion of BHCPF in the 2018 appropriation and its effective implementation,” he said.

“The Senate mandated its Committee on Appropriation to work out a modality for accommodating the Fund in the 2018 appropriation. The Senate Committee on Health through the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) to the Legislative Network on Universal Health Care (UHC) held series of sensitization, capacity building and media parleys to galvanize support towards implementation of the BHCPF and reiterate the commitment of the National Assembly towards the cause.”

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Tejuoso maintained that the push to ensure that there was increased funding in the 2018 budget was a “clear demonstration of the commitment and responsiveness of the 8th Senate", under the leadership of Senate President Bukola Saraki, to ensure that the healthcare needs of Nigerians are met.

“I am happy to inform you that the Senate President and the Senate Committee on Health have lived up to their promise to Nigerians by including the BHCPF in the 2018 Appropriation Bill. By this important milestone, we have demonstrated our collective and sustained will to harness and align our human and other resources towards transforming the health landscape in Nigeria.

“We have to remain vigilant to ensure that nothing scuttles our collective will towards actualizing the dream of affordable universal health care for all Nigerians. It is my vision that one day, Nigeria health care system will be a model for other African countries and the country will be a reputable destination for medical tourism,” the Senator representing Ogun Central said.

Both cambers of the National Assembly had on Wednesday.

The bill would be transmitted to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent this week.