‘Health ministry cannot dictate to Nigerians how to run the country’ – Senate

We strongly believe that the peculiar circumstances of Adamawa State both in terms of distances, population, accessibility, and history justifies the establishment of both tertiary health care facility in the state – FCT Minister

“For example, I can make it public, I was listening to the radio yesterday and I heard that the PTF (on COVID-19) has been converted to a steering committee. 

“We were not consulted in terms of what will be the operational mechanism and so on. I am just trying to say I will ask my Clerk to invite you to come and explain to us the process of that response because we represent Nigeria. 

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“What is the content of that conversion? How will the steering committee work?”

‘At the Ministry of Health we are not averse to creating of additional health institutions across the country’. 

“We have made our position clear and I don’t want to go over this memorandum because of time. But I want to assure you, the sponsor of the Bill, that you have our support within the rules and regulations in the establishment of this Federal tertiary institutions. 

“So our comprehensive position and stand of the Federal Ministry of Health have been made to the Secretariat.”

“There are three points that I want to clear. The first one the comment of the ministry that for a proposal like this the sponsor of the Bill should consult with the executive”.

‘That is not what the constitution says. Our constitution provided for how laws are made. There are three sources. Executive proposal can come. Members of the National Assembly can come. And the third one is that any Nigerian can come’. 

“But all the three will have only one route to the National Assembly. It must be read on the floor by an elected member. Based on that any Nigerian has a right to propose a bill but whether such a proposal will see the light of day will depend on all these processes. 

“And that is part of what we are doing. Secondly, you mentioned cost implications. By our rule 73, every bill has a compendium of cost. 

“If you don’t have it then you should have asked. But the last and the most important is that you are the custodian of the policy. There is what I will call policy somersault or that you just decide to say what you want to say. 

“You said that because Modibbo Adama Teaching hospital is there, there should be no FMC and that there are none like that. 

“But I want to mention to you that there are five states in this country that don’t have the population and land mass of Adamawa. Only one has more population and that is Lagos. 

“Lagos has a teaching hospital, LUTH, and Federal Medical Centre, Ebute Metta, Edo State has two Teaching Hospitals, that is University of Benin Teaching Hospital and Irrua Teaching Hospital in the same state. 

“FCT has three hospitals that are Federal, outside what is owned by the FCTA. We have the National Hospital which is being proposed now to become a Teaching Hospital. We have University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada. 

“We have Federal Medical Centre Jabi. Of course we have even the new one that is being expanded now where as the Chairman of this Committee I am aware, the Federal Staff Hospital in Gwarimpa will also have like the status of FMC. 

“That is FCT, what is the population and what is the landmass? We have Bauchi State that has Abubakar Tafa Balewa Teaching Hospital and FMC Azare. We have Jigawa State which has just been done by the same Ministry of Heath. It has an FMC in Birnin Kudu, but now a Teaching Hospital in Dutse. 

“So if we want to have a policy, what is good for the goose should be good for the gander. I am sorry you don’t have an opinion here but when the Executive is submitting to us, it should be standard. We read this and it is signed by the Minister.” 

“You have hit the nail on the head. Adamawa’s request for Federal Medical Centre Mubi is justified. 

“The Federal Ministry of Health has no reason whatsoever to try to sabotage this Bill. We will not agree at”.

“It is not for the Federal Ministry of Health to dictate to us how we should run this nation. Taking into cognizance the caliber of people that are here, that buttresses the urgent need for us to bring into being the Federal Medical Centre Mubi. 

“With all due respect to the Permanent Secretary, Mubi is one community that was destroyed by the Boko Haram. 

“The Adamawa North Senatorial zone was at a point in time a no go area. It was completely devastated by the Boko Haram. 

“Right now Maiduguri – Damboa Road is not accessible. Maiduguri – Gwoza Road is a death trap. People, not only from Damboa, Chibok and Gwoza North, even people from Kao Local Government can easily access the medical facility in Mubi.

“If you look at the health indices, the North East is at the bottom of the ladder and I believe every Nigerian should show empathy and support. 

“If you don’t have the resources, then you can tell us and we will find a window through the NEDC for instance to fund the project. But for the Federal Government or any organization for that matter to come out and say no it is not part of our agenda, we are the agenda setters and we are setting the agenda that let there be a Federal Medical Centre Mubi”.

“I don’t have much to say rather than to tell this Committee that all you have said is duly noted by the Ministry. 

“On the issue of consultation this public hearing is one of the consultations. In the initial conception of the Bill, there is nothing bad in coming to the Ministry of Health to get our input. But the essence of any policy is towards the delivery of services and more so when Health is involved, there is no way an arm of government would say that it is not something that would be beneficial to humanity and then object to it. 

“I want to assure you that all these comments have been noted and we will take them back to the Ministry and we will get back to you.” 

‘We need medical facilities. The desire of all governments is to provide medical facilities. We should all work to widen medical healthcare for our people.

”The sponsor of the bill had earlier in her opening remarks said, the provision of a Federal Medical Centre in Mubi will come at a very low cost to government since the existing General Hospital has the necessary requirements to be upgraded to a Federal Medical Centre’.

” Several reasons justify the wisdom of the Federal Government in providing both Teaching Hospital and Federal Medical Centre in some particular states of the Federation’. 

“We strongly believe that the peculiar circumstances of Adamawa State both in terms of distances, population, accessibility, and history justifies the establishment of both tertiary health care facility in the state’.

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