By Haruna Salami and Musa Baba Adamu
The National Assembly (NASS) Joint Committee on Health has appealed to the Joint Committee on Appropriations to make financial provisions for take-off grants to support newly established hospitals in the country.
Chairman of the Joint Committee, Sen. Ipalibo Banigo made the appeal when she submitted the harmonised report of the joint Senate and House Committees on Health on the 2026 budget proposals of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) yesterday.
Banigo said that the grants were essential to ensure the effective and efficient operation of the new health facilities.
According to her take-off grants will provide critical startup funding to address immediate operational needs.
Peoples Daily reports that the newly established hospitals include Federal University Teaching Hospital Lafia, Nasarawa State; Federal University Teaching Hospital Akure, Ondo.
Others are Federal University of Health Sciences Teaching Hospital, Otukpo, Benue and Federal University of Health Sciences Teaching Hospital, lla- Orangun Osun State
Ipalibo said that the health sector allocation, the government targets six per cent of the total budget allocation investment to the sector net of liability, to strengthen health care systems across Nigeria.
“The aim is to revitalise our hospitals with medication and better resources, care for all Nigerians by procuring essential drugs for distribution to the public ensuring quality healthcare facilities nationwide”.
She said that the budget proposal of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare for Personnel is N 1,170,495,177,648 while overhead is N 57,031,955,090.
“Capital is N 924,251,647,868 making a total Allocation of N 2,136,248,295,543.
The Senator said that the Committee at its 2025 Budget Performance and 2026 budget defence, observed that most of the hos”itals were yet to have 100 per cent of their 2”24 Appropriation released.
“Although, all of 2024 Appropriation has been uploaded but 60 per cent of payment still awaiting, in some cases 30 per cent of the Appropriations”.
Deputy Chairman of the Appropriations Committee Sen. Mohammed Monguno assured that the committee would look into the issues.
