By Our Reporter, Lafia
The Nasarawa State House of Assembly, has directed the state ministry for Health to suspend the utilisation of N1.8billion under the Saving One millions lives programme (SOML).
Rt. Hon Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi, the Speaker of the House announced the House resolution after Hon Labaran Shafa, Chairman, House Committee on Health raised the issue during matters of public interest on Tuesday in Lafia.
The speaker said that the House’s directive for the suspension of the programme was to enable the House Committee on Health to investigate the programme over lack of budgetary allocation.
He directed the state Commissioner for Health, Pharm. Ahmed Baba Yahaya to appear before the health committee on Wednesday March 18 by 10am
” We have resolved that the activities of the Saving One Million Lives Programme (SOML) in the state under the state ministry of Health is to be suspended for now.
” This is to allow the House standing Committee on Health to investigate SOML activities in the state because it was not captured in the 2020 budget and spending the #1.8b outside budget allocation will be unconstitutional hence the need to follow due process” he said.
Earlier, Hon Labaran Shafa (APC- Toto/Gadabuke), the Chairman, House Committee on Health said that the N1.8billion Saving One Million Lives has not be appropriated into this year budget.
He said that SOML is a good health programme aimed at improving on the lives and health status of the people of the state, adding that the programme’s fund needs legal backing.
It has been learnt that SOML is a Federal Government Intervention Health programme aimed at improving on the health status of the people.
Saving One Million Lives is a Federal Government Health intervention programme that focuses on improving maternal, new born and child health, prevention of Mother to Child transmission of HIV.
“Improving immunization coverage, scaling up access to essential medicines, malaria control, child nutrition, among others.
