Delta Assembly Passes Private Health Care Bill
Christopher Odamah, Asaba
The Delta State Private HealthCare Registration, Operations and Prohibition Bill has been passed into law by the Delta State House of Assembly at plenary presided over by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori.
The bill was sponsored by member representing Ukwuani Constituency and Chairman House Committee on Health, Hon (Dr) Alphonsus Ojo and five others, seeks to curb unhealthy practices in the health sector in Delta State.
The proposed law, according to the sponsor, Hon (Dr) Alphonsus Ojo, is being enacted to comprehensively regulate all facets of the state’s health sector in order to adhere strictly to international best practices and reduce the incidence of quackery in the sector.
“It is for a law to regulate the Registration, establishment, operations, conduct, monitoring and inspection of private healthcare facilities in the state and for other matters incidental thereto”.
Speaking after the third reading of the bill, Hon Ojo emphasized that the main intent is to safeguard the health of all Deltans, stressing that the bill when signed into law and fully implemented, will end quackery in the medical profession in Delta State.
“I must thank the speaker, my co-sponsors and the entire House for the passage of this bill. It was long overdue and was not meant to witch-hunt anybody but rather meant to instill professional discipline amongst the various segments of the health sector. Deltans stand to benefit greatly from such a law as the bill will help reduce incidences of quackery in the health sector in the state”, Ojo explained.
The motion for the third reading and subsequent passage was moved by the Majority Leader, Hon Tim Owhefere and was unanimously adopted.
The House had resolve into a committee of the whole, chaired by the Speaker to further scrutinize the report of the House Committee on Health on the bill during which the Lawmakers proposed some amendments and were adopted.
The Speaker commended members for painstakingly scrutinizing the bill clause by clause with amendments made where necessary, saying the proposed law would enhance quality healthcare in Delta State.
