The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), has described the 70 percent of household budget currently appropriated for health universal health coverage as unacceptable.
It tasked the Senate to give effect to the National Health Bill to cushion the effect for more Nigerians to have access to health, explaining that the percentage far outweighs less than 10 percent according to World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendation.
The NMA president, Dr Kayode Obembe made the disclosure during the presentation of newly executives of the association for the next two years, which climaxed the 54th NMA Annual General Conference and Delegates’ meeting of the association recently in Benin City, the Edo state capital.
He assured that if the National Health Bill before the Senate is passed into la by the Federal government, such avalanche of funds would be spent on other basic needs of life.
“70 percent of the money we pay when we access health is coming from out of pocket. Undoubtedly, the financial burden is hazardous to household income, which is geared towards maintaining the essential budget of the family – child education, car maintenance, rent, etc’’, he said.
He submitted that pro-active steps must be taken by authorities concerned to prevent the situation from sliding further.
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