The House of Representatives has formally requested that the federal government declare a state of emergency concerning the healthcare system in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
In addition, the House has urged the government to develop a comprehensive long-term plan for healthcare infrastructure that corresponds with the FCT’s burgeoning population, ensuring the delivery of sustainable and high-quality healthcare services.
The resolution also emphasizes the necessity for the federal government to release emergency funds aimed at upgrading hospitals, recruiting medical staff, and acquiring essential medical equipment.
These resolutions came about following the adoption of a motion presented during yesterday’s plenary by Hon. Nnamdi Ezechi.
In his presentation, Ezechi highlighted the alarming pressure on the FCT’s healthcare system, noting that government hospitals and medical facilities are severely overstretched, leading to a critical deficiency in bed availability and medical personnel.
He pointed out that the population of the FCT has grown significantly over the last two decades, while many existing government hospitals were built years ago and have seen little to no expansion to meet the rising demand for healthcare services.
Ezechi underscored the grim reality that patients requiring urgent medical attention are frequently left unattended or face lengthy waiting times due to a shortage of hospital beds and the limited capacity of current facilities, resulting in preventable loss of life on a daily basis.
He also expressed concern over the insufficient number of medical personnel, including doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers, which further intensifies the crisis, diminishes the quality of care, and places additional pressure on the few available staff.
Ezechi warned that without immediate action, the healthcare crisis could escalate to unmanageable levels, jeopardising the right to health and the well-being of the residents in the nation’s capital.
Nevertheless, he expressed hope that a strategic reassessment and enhancement of health infrastructure in the FCT, coupled with a thorough recruitment initiative for medical professionals, would address the pressing needs and lead to improved health outcomes.
Consequently, the House called on the Federal Ministry of Health and the FCT Administration to promptly evaluate the condition of health facilities in the capital, with the objective of pinpointing critical areas for expansion, upgrades, and resource distribution.
The House resolved to form an ad-hoc committee tasked with conducting an in-depth investigation into the current state of healthcare facilities in the FCT and to submit a report within four weeks, outlining recommendations for improvement.
The House reiterated its call for the federal government to declare a state of emergency in the FCT’s healthcare system, ensuring the timely release of emergency funds for hospital upgrades, recruitment of medical staff, and the procurement of vital medical equipment.
Moreover, it stressed the importance of encouraging the FCT Administration to collaborate with private sector stakeholders and international health agencies to enhance capacity in the short term while long-term solutions are being developed.
