NMA to CBN: Your health intervention fund difficult to access

The Nigerian Medical Association has decried the stringent conditions given by the Central Bank of Nigeria for its members to access the N100 billion health intervention funds.

The organisation, therefore, called on the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), and strategic stakeholders in the nation’s financial sector to prevail upon the CBN to soften the conditions, especially given the current state of the nation’s health sector as exposed by the COVID – 19 pandemic.

The NMA made this known in a communique issued on Monday after its National Executive Council meeting in Awka with the theme: ‘Medical Doctors, politics and leadership in the Society” and the Sub-theme, “Managing mental health in a COVID-19 depressed economy.’

The document was signed by NMA President, Prof. Innocent Ujah, and Secretary, Dr Philp Ekpe.

The NMA also restated its demand for the establishment of the National Health Bank in order to fast-track the infrastructure, procurement of the state-of-the- equipment that helps to provide world-class health care for Nigerians in order to reverse medical tourism.

The communique reads, “The NMA is saddened by the mounting difficulties faced by members especially the private health sector organizations in accessing the CBN’s N100 billion health intervention funds contrary to expectations.

“We call upon His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, political leaders, strategic stakeholders in the nation’s financial sector and the entire citizens to prevail upon the CBN to soften and modify the conditionalities for accessing the health Intervention loan especially given the current state of the nation’s health sector as exposed by the COVID – 19 pandemic. Punch