FG rejects Reps’ move to establish Cancer Registry
By Tordue Salem – Abuja
The Federal Government has rejected a hoise of Representatives Bill seeking to establish Cancer Registry in the country to provide for complications of Statistics Record to the incidence of Cancer and give a basis for Research and Treatment.
The Minister for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, who disclosed this in Abuja while speaking during a public hearing by the House Committee on Health Services and Chaired by Rep. Tanko Sununu, on three critical health bills noted that the functions of the proposed Registry is already been carried out by Territory health institutions and the Nigeria institute for medical research.
The Minister’s position was adopted by most of the stakeholders present at the public hearing which include the Nigeria Labour Congress, the Nigeria Medical Association, amongst others.
READ ALSO: 40m women in Nigeria at risk of cervical cancer, says Minister of Health
He added that the establishment of a Cancer Registry will be a waste of resources and deepen the rivalry already in the health sector.
Equally the Nigeria Labour Congress, the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, the National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS, and other stakeholders in the Health Sector all supported two bills presented by the House Committee and rejected one.
Giving support on the other two bills to amend the primary health care development act and the establishment of a National Blood Service Commission, Ehanire, said Nigeria has been declared Wild Polio Virus-free and will be ceremoniously certified free by the World Health Organization on August 25th, 2020.
The bills supported are a bill for an act to amend the National Primary Healthcare Agency Development Act Cap N69, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and for Related matters; A bill for an act to Establish the National Blood service commission to coordinate, Regulate and Ensure the provision of Quality blood and blood products and related matters.
But A bill for an act to Establish Cancer Registry to make provision for the complication of Statistics Record to the incidence of Cancer to provide a Basis for Direction of programme for Research and for Cancer Treatment and for Related matters was rejected by the stakeholders on Thursday.
The Cancer bill in its explanatory memorandum seeks to look into the present increase of the spread of an attack of cancer disease globally and the deadly consequences on people.
Based on the adoption of the presentation of the Minister who said it would amount to duplication as Nigeria has 33 cancer treatment centres nationwide, it was rejected by majority of stakeholders.
Ehanire while speaking specifically on the bill to amend the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) ACT of 1992 said:
“I am particularly delighted about today’s event as it marks a big stride towards strengthening the roles and responsibilities of the Agency to provide technical and programmatic support to states and LGAs on the Development of Primary Health Care in Nigeria which will ultimately improve the overall health outcomes in the country and accelerate our journey towards achieving Universal Health Coverage.
“This transformation has expanded the roles and responsibilities of public health agencies globally beyond direct service delivery; to programme management, quality control and standards, performance monitoring, and enforcement.
“It is heartwarming to note that Nigeria has been declared Wild Polio Virus (WPV) free and will be ceremoniously certified free of WPV by World Health Organization on August 25th, 2020.
“This achievement of polio-free status is a hard-won battle spanning over three decades of hard work and dedication of the polio team, partners and donors through the years of the defunct National Programme on Immunization (NPI) to the National Primary Health Care Development Agency established by an ACT of 1992.
Ehanire said technically speaking, the transfer of the functions of NPI to the Agency around Polio Eradication Initiatives (PEI) and Routine Immunization (RI) was not well captured in the current ACT hence the amendment.
Rep. Tajudeen Abbas (APC-Kaduna ) who sponsored the bill on National Blood Services Commission recounted how his daughter was infected with Hepatitis B through a faulty transfusion: He said:
The Nigeria Labour Congress, President Ayuba Waba in his presentation said with the passage of the Primary Healthcare Bill, we are strengthening the Primary Health Sector. NLC is, therefore, aligning with this bill and that of the National Blood Services Commission.”
READ ALSO:Iraqi children’s hospital fighting to keep cancer patients safe from COVID-19
The NCDC DG, Chikwe Ihekweazu, who dashed in briefly said they did not come with a presentation as they were aligned by he selves with the position of the Minister Blessing Nienge who represented the Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme, Prof. M. N. Sambo supported the ministry and especially the Blood Services Commission.
“The bill has been underscored. The member here gave an experience of what happened to his relative. Most of us have personal experiences.
“The National Health Insurance Scheme is aligning with the three bills and we believe your good works will speak for you,” she said.
On its part, the association of community Health Practitioners of Nigeria, represented by its Acting General Secretary, Dr. Ibama Asito also adopted the position of the Health Minister.
The post FG rejects Reps’ move to establish Cancer Registry appeared first on Vanguard News.
No comments: