The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has urged President Bola Tinubu to allocate a minimum of 15% of the 2024 annual budget to the health sector.
This plea follows the exclusion of the health sector from the 2023 supplementary budget, a move criticized by both NARD and JOHESU.
The National Assembly recently approved a N2.18tn supplementary budget, primarily focused on urgent issues, excluding health. NARD President Dr Dele Abdullahi expresses disappointment, urging a significant allocation to address the critical state of the health sector in the upcoming 2024 budget.
“I hope the government will make the 2024 budget for the health sector very reasonable because since 2001 when the Abuja Declaration was made, Nigeria has never met that target,” says Dr Abdullahi, emphasizing the importance of adhering to the Abuja Declaration commitment requiring 15% of the annual budgetary allocation for health.
In addition, the Acting Chairman of JOHESU, Dr Obinna Ogbonna, notes that health is wealth and questions the exclusion of the health sector from the supplementary budget.
He emphasizes the need to address critical issues such as the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure and workers’ welfare.
“I want to assume it’s an oversight that the health sector was not included, and we will take it up with them so that they can see the need to include the health sector in the budget,” adds Dr Ogbonna.
The calls from both NARD and JOHESU highlight the urgency of prioritizing the health sector’s needs in the national budgetary allocations.
