Kaduna State government has been commended for consistently allocating over 15 per cent of its annual budget to the health sector.
The chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Health Services, Hon Amos Gwamna Magaji, gave the commendation at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House on Friday.
The committee, which paid a courtesy call on the deputy governor, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, noted that the budgetary allocation is in line with the Abuja Declaration.
The chairman also expressed delight that the allocations were matched by timely cash releases, describing it as a demonstration of seriousness towards healthcare financing.
Hon Magaji further lauded Kaduna State for ranking top in healthcare delivery in Nigeria last year, underscoring the strengthening of its human capital development.
The chairman, however, expressed concern over the persistently high rate of maternal mortality across the country, describing the situation as unacceptable.
Responding, Dr Balarabe reaffirmed the state government’s unwavering commitment to human capital development and efforts to reduce maternal mortality.
She described the loss of women’s lives during childbirth as unfortunate and urged the committee to explore the provision of specialised ambulances for hard-to-reach areas as part of national interventions.
The deputy governor commended the lawmakers for embarking on an on-the-spot assessment of the implementation of the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF).
According to her, such efforts are vital to ensuring accountability and improved health outcomes for Nigerians.
