The House of Representatives says self-sufficiency in drugs, health commodities and vaccine production, should be prioritized in Nigeria.
The House urged Nigeria to also aim to be the main supplier of drugs and vaccines in the West African Sub-Region.
These followed the consideration and approval of the report of the Committee on Covid–19 which was laid by Haruna Mshelia.
The House said that “all molecular laboratories, intensive care centres, isolation wards and oxygen plants established across the country be maintained and updated regulations so that the country would be ready for any eventuality.”
It called for the establishment of Public Health Emergency Operation Centres at the Federal and State levels.
The House said incident management systems should be deployed to man these centres with personnel drawn from, Health, Environment, Water Resources, Information, Education, Aviation/Transportation, and Agric Ministries.
This, it said, would ensure the country would be in a state of readiness at all times for epidemics or pandemics.
The House approved that the Committee be renamed Standing Committee on Epidemic and Pandemics and to oversight relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies involved.
It urged the Government to treat health as business as obtained in Agriculture, Political will be liberal towards Health Research Institutes.
The House also considered and approved the report of the Conference Committee on Sexual Harassment Bill for an Act to make
Comprehensive Provisions for the Prohibition and Punishment of Sexual Harassment of Students by Educators in Tertiary Educational Institutions laid by Akande-Sadipe Tolulope.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
