We Are Monitoring All Covid-19 Funds – Senate

The National Assembly (Senate) has explained that it is monitoring all funds donated and allocated by the Federal Government for the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe, “we are keeping tab on all funds donated and allocated for the fight against COVID-19 and urged Nigerians not to shun the vaccine”.

Oloriegbe stated this in a press conference at the National Assembly yesterday.

The conference was to inform Nigerians on the forthcoming annual legislative summit on health which is to be attended by all major stakeholders in the country.

He said the legislature is carrying out its oversight functions, adding that they are trailing the spending on COVID-19.

“The allocation to the health sector from the intervention fund is about N86 billion while the balance was for the other ministries departments and agencies (MDAs) relevant to the efforts at curbing the pandemic.

“Monitoring the utilisation of the fund in the health sector is easy. We are looking at specific interventions in designated health facilities and ensuring that the funds were also deployed to case management since COVID-19 patients were supposed to be treated free at the public health facilities,” he said.

Oloriegbe said the fund was meant to boost research and development of vaccines through the funding of relevant activities being undertaken by institutions such as the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Nigeria Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Nigeria Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) and the Nigeria Institute for Medical Laboratory Technology (NIMLT).

He said that contrary to the perception in some quarters that the focus on COVID-19 would result in the neglect of other diseases plaguing Nigeria, the pandemic must be seen as an opportunity to address other health challenges in the country.