LAGOS — The National President, Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, yesterday, urged the National Assembly to ensure speedy passage of the National Health Bill pending before it.

Enabulele said in Lagos that passage of the bill would solve many of the problems facing the nation’s health sector.
He said that Nigerians were full of expectations from the various tiers of government in 2014 in the area of improved healthcare services.

“So, 2014 may be pregnant with lots of expectations, but whether they will be delivered will be dependent on the interaction between the civil population and of course, their leaders in terms of their ability to demand accountability.
“And, that is why we are calling for the passage of the National Health Bill to be able to help the people to demand accountability.

“That is why we are asking the National Assembly, even as they are still reconstructing amendments to the 1999 Constitution, to have a place in chapter four that guarantees the health right of the Nigerian people.
“Once they have their health right guaranteed in terms of making it a statutory provision and indeed a fundamental right, you and I can take on the local government chairman and demand accountability: why he has not provided the minimum package of healthcare to you?