President Bola Tinubu has approved the restoration of funding for 13 National Health Regulators across the country.
Sharpedgenews reports that the government stopped their funding in the 2024 budget as part of measures to ensure transparency and efficient use of resources.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Dr Ali Pate, made this known on Wednesday after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja.
He said that the funding would improve the regulation of health infrastructure and consumables across the medical and pharmaceutical sectors.
The 13 agencies whose funding was restored are the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria, Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria and Institute of Chartered Chemists of Nigeria.
Others are the Radiographers Registration Board of Nigeria, Institute of Public Analysis of Nigeria, Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria, Health Records Registration Board of Nigeria and Community Health Practitioners Registration Board of Nigeria.
Also included in the new directive list are the Medical Rehab Therapists Registration Board, Dental Technologists Registration Board of Nigeria, Optometry and Dispensing Opticians Registration Board of Nigeria and the Dental Therapists Registration Board of Nigeria.
Pate also said that the Council took the decision to restore correct pricing of syringes and other medical consumables across the country.
He said the Council also approved that the replacement and recruitment of health workers should be extricated from the office of the Head of Service to allow for a speedy process and boost manpower of health facilities occasioned by shortage due to health professionals leaving service.
According to him, local manufacturers of health items will continue to receive encouragement from the government to make them accessible and affordable to citizens.
Pate also said that a committee had been mandated to look into policies that hinder local production of medical equipment and items in the country.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, said the President had directed his office to explore legislation impeding the flow of Foreign Direct Investments into the country.
He said that the issue of the various agreements entered into with the United Arab Emirate took the front burner and it was agreed that all hindrances to the agreement be quickly cleared through proper legislations.
Fagbemi also said that the Council approved that, moving forward, a national policy on taxation that would encourage Foreign Direct Investment flow be prepared for National Assembly ratification.