In a fervent plea to President Bola Tinubu, the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has urged the allocation of at least 15% of the 2024 annual budget to revitalize the beleaguered health sector. Dr. Dele Abdullahi, the President of NARD, voiced concerns over the sector’s exclusion from the 2023 supplementary budget.
Joined by the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), the call underscores the critical importance of prioritizing healthcare in budgetary allocations. Both NARD and JOHESU expressed disappointment at the neglect of the health sector in the recently approved N2.18 trillion supplementary budget for the 2023 fiscal year.
While addressing the urgent needs outlined in the supplementary budget, such as defense, security, and welfare packages, the Federal Government (FG) faced criticism for overlooking the health sector’s dire condition. Dr. Abdullahi lamented the exclusion, emphasizing, “It is sad and unfortunate that the health sector was not included in the supplementary budget. The health sector is in shambles, and a lot of things need to be done about the sector, but it was not considered in the budget.”
He further highlighted unresolved issues within the health sector that demand immediate attention, expressing hope that the 2024 budget would address longstanding challenges. Dr. Abdullahi stressed the importance of meeting the Abuja Declaration commitment, which mandates allocating 15% of the annual budget to health—a target Nigeria has consistently failed to achieve since 2001.
The Acting Chairman of JOHESU, Dr. Obinna Ogbonna, echoed the sentiment, emphasizing that the health sector should not be neglected, considering its pivotal role in the nation’s well-being. Dr. Ogbonna scrutinized the supplementary budget, noting the absence of provisions for critical aspects such as the consolidated medical salary structure and workers’ welfare. He expressed hope that the oversight would be rectified, stating, “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.”
