Distinguished colleague Today marks a major milestone in the life of this assembly. It is a day that gives me a lot of fulfilment, first, as a lawmaker and second, as the lead sponsor of the primary healthcare development agency bill. This is because the passage of this bill into law today will go a long way in revolutionising Primary Healthcare Delivery Services in our state.
Let me add very quickly that my motivation to sponsor this bill arose from the need to revive the primary healthcare system in our state to be at par with what is obtainable in other states of the federation. We were also propelled by the necessity of getting our state to have a legal framework for primary healthcare delivery. And very importantly, I was dissatisfied with the fact that Akwa Ibom State was among the four states that did not have this law. It was on these premises that I, together with twelve of my colleagues took up the sponsorship of this all important bill.
As one of the priority bills that this assembly is committed to passing into law, the passage of this bill today is a demonstration of our commitment to contribute to healthcare delivery in our state through sound legislation as indicated in our legislative agenda. That commitment, like in the last two years, is further made manifest today through the passage of this bill. As part of the commitment to further strengthen healthcare delivery in Akwa Ibom, very soon, we will be passing the state health insurance scheme bill.
To this end, let me specially thank all my colleagues for standing by me as the lead sponsor of this bill, and by extension standing by Akwa Ibom people in making sure that this bill is passed into law. Permit me to quickly add that the benefits of this law are as impactful as they are glaring. Therefore, this law when implemented will seek to create the enabling environment for implementation of the National Health Act and accessing Basic Health Care Fund like the Save One Million Lives (SOML) fund, to improve access to basic health package for Akwa Ibomites.
Medical experts agree that with the law in place, access to funds from the National Action Committee on AIDS in the fight against HIV/AIDS in the state. It is also pertinent to state that an effective Primary Healthcare (PHC) system plays a central role in the achievement of the Health component of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and could help achieve most of the 13 targets of the third Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as contribute to many of the 16 other SDGs. This is not forgetting the fact that the passage of this bill today will be very essential in reducing congestion of secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities.
Distinguished colleagues, it is for this reason and many more that today marks a major milestone in our legislative commitment to Akwa Ibom people. Let me say here that as part of that commitment to revolutionise healthcare delivery in our state, the 6th Assembly will in no distant time look into other legislations that will positively impact the health of Akwa Ibom people.
Having said this, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all the stakeholders in the health sector who took out time to make their input into the bill during the public hearing on this bill. I particularly thank Dr Aniekeme Uwah of the Nigeria Medical Association and other stakeholders in the health industry whose contributions were key in the final outcome of the proposed law. It is worthy to state that, let me thank the 26 members of this house for their sheer commitment and support in ensuring that this people-oriented bill sees the light of the day. As a house, we will continue to put the people first in our quest to justify their faith in us as the people’s assembly.
Being Remarks by the Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Onofiok Luke, after the passage of the bill for a law to establish the Akwa Ibom state primary healthcare development agency today Tuesday, May 30th, 2017.
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