House of Reps hails Kaduna over health sector investment

The Kaduna State Government has received commendation from the House of Representatives Committee on Health Services for consistently allocating over 15 percent of its annual budget to the health sector.

Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Amos Gwamna Magaji, gave the commendation on Friday during a courtesy visit to the Deputy Governor, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe, at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House.

Magaji said Kaduna’s budgetary commitment aligns with the Abuja Declaration, which recommends a minimum of 15 percent budgetary allocation to healthcare.

He expressed satisfaction that the allocations were backed by timely cash releases, describing it as proof of the state’s seriousness in strengthening healthcare financing.

The lawmaker also lauded Kaduna for emerging as the top-ranking state in healthcare delivery in 2024, a feat he said reflected its investment in human capital development.

However, he voiced concern over the persistently high rate of maternal mortality across the country, describing it as unacceptable.

In her response, Dr. Balarabe reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to human capital development and reducing maternal deaths.

She lamented the loss of women’s lives during childbirth and urged the committee to consider introducing specialized ambulances for hard-to-reach communities as part of national interventions.

The Deputy Governor further commended the lawmakers for their on-the-spot assessment of the implementation of the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF), stressing that such oversight was crucial to promoting accountability and improving health outcomes for Nigerians.