Rep Tasks State Legislatures On Residency Law

The member representing Ahoada East/Abua Odual Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon Betty Apiafi has urged State Houses of Assembly in the country to adopt the “Residency Bill” recently signed into law by the President as a working policy in their respective States.
Apiafi gave the charge while speaking at the 58th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference, organised by the Rivers State branch of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) in Port Harcourt, recently.
The federal lawmaker said the need for the residency bill came up as a result of “lack of a residency policy to address teething challenges that lead to incessant strikes by resident doctors”.
She said such issues that affect the smooth operations and activities of resident doctors have been properly taken care of in the residency bill.
Apiafi, who is the leader of the Rivers caucus in the House of Representatives said the domestication of the residency law in the various states of the federation will go a long way to enhance health care delivery in the country.
She pointed out that the residency law stipulates a counterpart funding of which the Federal Government is to pay 60% while the Teaching Hospitals are to pay 40%.
Apiafi hinted that provisions had been made for budgetary allocation in the 2019 budget for the implementation of the policy.
The Rivers-born politician and stalwart of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) also faulted the placement of primary health care on concurrent list and called for the amendment of Nigeria’s health policies for more positive impact.
She sued for stronger partnership between the Nigeria Medical Association and the government, especially in health policy formulation and advocacy.