Reps ratify bill to make free child healthcare compulsory

The Nigerian House of Representatives have on Wednesday, November 17, 2021, passed, for the second reading, a bill titled “A Bill for an Act to Make Health Care Service Delivery Free for All Children in Nigeria and for Related Matters”, seeking to make compulsory for the Federal Government to provide free health care services for children in Nigeria.

The bill was sponsored by a member of the house, Bello Kaoje.

Leading the debate on Wednesday, Kaoje stated that children’s health needs are significantly different from those of adults.

He said: “By nature, children grow and develop at rapid rates, placing them at special risk of being affected by illness and injury. If health problems are not identified and treated, they can affect a child’s cognitive, physical, behavioural and emotional development,” stressing that, “With the Federal Government’s health care initiative, Save One Million Lives, it is very important to make free medical services for children in Nigeria.”

“It will give the following unique and immediate benefits: The health care services shall include diagnoses, treatment, prevention of illness and other physical and mental impairment in children in Nigeria. The services shall be rendered by the government hospitals in Nigeria. The services shall cover referral cases of children from other states, local government hospitals or any other private hospital in Nigeria.”