By Beauty John , LAFIA
The Nasarawa State House of Assembly has passed into second reading two health bills in an effort to define the tenure of the head of health institutions and to boost health care service delivery in the state.
A bill for a Law to Establish the Nasarawa State Drugs and Supplies Management Agency and for Other Matters Connected Therewith and A bill for a Law to Establish Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, Nasarawa State and for Other Matters Related Thereto.
Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon Ibrahim Balarabe-Abdullahi, announced the passage of the two bills into second reading during the House proceedings in Lafia, on Tuesday.
“I will commit this bill for a Law to Establish the Nasarawa State Drugs and Supplies Management Agency and for Other Matters Connected Therewith to the House committee on Health to work on the bill and we are expecting the report on 16th December, 2020.
“I will also commit the bill for a Law to Establish Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, Nasarawa State and for Other Matters Related Thereto to the House standing committee on Health to work on the bill and we are expecting the report on 16th December, 2020, ” he said.
Balarabe Abdullahi appreciated Governor Abdullahi Sule for initiating the bills, noting that the two bills would have significant impacts on the lives and health of the people of the state if finally passed into law.
Earlier, Hon Tanko Tunga, the Majority Leader of the House while moving motions for the two bills to scale second reading respectively said that A bill for a Law to Establish the Nasarawa State Drugs and Supplies Management Agency and for Other Matters Connected Therewith was to select, quantify, source, procure, supply and distribute drugs for improved health care service delivery in the state.
The lawmaker explained that the second Bill, a Bill for a Law to Establish Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, Nasarawa State and for other matters related thereto said that the bill is all about the structure and functions of the hospital as well as to define the tenure of the head of the hospital among other things.
The minority leader of the House, Hon Danladi Jatau, seconded the motions for the two bills to scale into second reading.
The House unanimously agreed for the two bills to scale into second reading after contributions from Hon Mohammed Okpoku, Aliyu Dogara ,Mohammed Omadefu,Suleiman Azara and Labaran Shafa.
It will be reported that most of the health institutions in the state have no definite laws stipulating the tenure of the heads of the health establishments.
It Is in this regard the Nasarawa State House of Assembly is expediting the passage of the executive bills presented by governor Abdullahi Sule to address that and other health matters.