Gov’t inaugurates 15-Member Cm’ttee for EMT disbursement, monitoring

By Stanley Onyekwere

A fifteen-member committee has been inaugurated for the disbursement and monitoring of Emergency Medical Treatment (EMT) facilities that would carter for the health needs of the poor and most vulnerable persons in the FCT.

Inaugurating the Committee in Abuja, the Acting Secretary, FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat (HHSS), Dr. Mohammed Kawu, said the Committee, was constituted to ensure optimal coordination of the EMT in the Territory.

Kawu, who explained that, the EMT is one of the three gateways of the basic health care provision fund, noted that the its resilience has been tested on several occasions, and added that its efficiency and effectiveness requires a lot of improvement.

He reiterated that the FCT Administration under the leadership of the Minister, Muhammad Musa Bello is committed to ensuring the well being of all residents of FCT, with measures in place to enhance the optical operationalization of EMT.

“ The inauguration of the FCT Emergency Medical Treatment Committee (FEMTC) today is a step in the right direction, and hope all hands will be on deck to achieve the 2030 SDGs”, he said.

He enjoined members of the Committee to put in their best as required to fully optimize the operationalization of EMT service in FCT.

Responding, the Chairman of the Committee, Dr. Ahmadu Abubakar, who is also the Director, Medical and Diagnostic Department of HHSS,  assured that members of the Committee will work hard to ensure the success of the project.

Abubakar however identified inadequate resources to fund desired health projects, and inadequate trained manpower as some of the factors militating the provision of basic healthcare system in the society.

According to him, “ because the National Health act is a law, it is binding for the government to give an annual grant of not less than one percent of its consolidated revenue to the BHCPF.

“The 2014 National Health act ensured the provision of basic Minimum package of health services (BMPHS) and Emergency Medical Treatment (EMT) to all Nigerians”.