The Bill seeking to establish the Health Infrastructure Development Agency was passed for a second reading during the Senate plenary on Thursday.
Sponsored by Senator Osita Ngwu, the proposed legislation aims to provide a comprehensive framework for the planning, financing, construction, maintenance, and regulation of healthcare infrastructure in Nigeria.
Ngwu, representing Enugu West senatorial district, highlighted that the bill is designed to promote the development and improvement of healthcare infrastructure to enhance access, quality, and delivery of healthcare services nationwide.
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Additionally, the legislation aims to strengthen the healthcare system by modernizing healthcare facilities through public-private partnerships for sustainable infrastructure development.
Ngwu also addressed the challenges faced by the Nigerian healthcare industry, such as medical tourism, inadequate personnel, and deteriorating infrastructure, emphasizing the need for improvement.
Citing a report by the International Trade Administration, Ngwu pointed out Nigeria’s underdeveloped status in terms of medical facilities and healthcare indicators in Africa.
He mentioned the government’s approval of the second National Strategic Health Development Plan (2018-2020) as a step towards addressing these issues and improving health infrastructure to optimize service delivery at all levels.
