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By Tracy Moses
The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, has called for urgent reforms and sustained investments in Nigeria’s health sector, urging for stronger global partnerships to revitalize the nation’s ailing healthcare system.
Kalu made this known while receiving Dr. Philip Ozuah, a Nigerian-born medical leader and President of Montefiore Medicine in the United States, during a courtesy visit to his office in the National Assembly on Friday.
The Deputy Speaker underscored the need for deliberate policymaking, increased budgetary support, and structural reforms to tackle Nigeria’s worsening health indicators. According to him, healthcare is not only a fundamental human right but a foundation for national development and productivity.
“Health is the only form of wealth that, once lost, may never be regained,” Kalu said, noting the persistent challenges of preventable diseases, high maternal mortality, and poor access to basic medical services across Nigeria. These, he emphasized, require bold interventions beyond legislation and budgetary provisions, particularly partnerships that merge local initiatives with global expertise.
Kalu decried the nation’s heavy dependence on medical tourism, which he said drains over $1.1 billion from the economy annually. He also pointed out that dwindling global health aid further highlights the urgency for Nigeria to build a resilient, self-sustaining healthcare infrastructure.
He described the drive for healthcare reform as personal, especially as a lawmaker from the South East, an area he said remains underserved due to lingering effects of past conflict and underdevelopment. He noted that the Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, and Reconciliation (3Rs) agenda has yet to be fully realized, adding that health sector revitalization is a vital component of addressing regional inequities.
Kalu highlighted his grassroots-focused PISE-P initiative, which targets the transformation of primary healthcare centers, the training of community health workers, and the development of enduring rural health models. He also pointed to the South East Development Commission (SEDC) Bill, his legislative effort to tackle structural underdevelopment in the region.
On a personal level, Kalu said he has facilitated the provision of medical equipment to rural clinics, organized free healthcare outreach programs including eye surgeries, and promoted the inclusion of persons with disabilities in health policies. He emphasized that health and human dignity are inseparable.
Speaking on the priorities of the 10th National Assembly, the Deputy Speaker noted that healthcare is now viewed through the lens of national security, economic growth, and social stability. Citing a World Health Organization report, he said every dollar invested in health yields a fourfold return in productivity.
While commending President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his Renewed Hope Agenda and its people-oriented vision, Kalu applauded the 2024 federal budget’s historic allocation of over ₦1.33 trillion to the health sector. However, he warned that funding alone is insufficient without strong systems, clear policies, and long-term planning, supported through strategic collaborations.
He noted that the National Assembly has made notable progress by expanding the Basic Health Care Provision Fund to scale up access to primary healthcare, modernizing outdated health laws, and incentivizing local pharmaceutical production. Other interventions include reforms in medical residency training, streamlined health sector regulations, and the commissioning of a modern National Assembly Clinic to serve as a model for public healthcare standards.
Earlier, Dr. Ozuah, whose leadership at Montefiore has positioned him as one of the most respected healthcare administrators in the U.S., recounted his inspiring journey from Nigeria to global prominence. Kalu described his story as a beacon of what Nigerian talent can achieve when given the right support and opportunities.
“This is exactly why such partnerships matter,” Kalu stated. “They open doors to innovation, mentorship, and institutional reform, things our healthcare system desperately needs.”