Malaria: Uproar in Senate over new borrowing plan of $200m for procurement of Mosquito nets
Members of the Senate Commitee on Foreign and Local debts were furious on Tuesday when the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Mahmuda Mamman, disclosed that the federal government was planning to borrow $200m for Mosquito nets against malaria and other ancillary medical therapies.
The Permanent Secretary had indicated during the budget defence session, that the $200m loan has become very necessary due to the high rate of under-5 mortality in Nigeria, mainly caused by Malaria and lack of access to its treatments by residents of 13 vulnerable states in the country.
According to him, the loan, if approved by the National Assembly and accessed, will be used to medically fight malaria in the 13 states which cover 208 local government councils and 3, 536 primary health care centres.
Apparently piqued by the submission, the Commitee Chairman Senator Clifford Odia, Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe and others descended heavily on the Permanent Secretary and Executive Secretary, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr.Faisal Shuaib.
The Chairman of the committee was at a loss as to why N450 million was budgeted for Malaria treatment in the proposed 2022 budget, yet plans are being made to borrow $200m for the same purpose.
“This is unacceptable. We should be able to put our feet down when dealing with these donor agencies or creditors as regards loans to be taken and what it should be expended on.
“Don’t we have local manufacturers of mosquito nets and malaria drugs in Nigeria to patronise with the loan even if approved.
“This is a clear case of money and jobs for the boys by creditors luring you for loans and railroading you on what it should be spent on.
“Washington or whatever creditor offering the loan, should stop giving us money with one hand and taking it back with another hand through railroaded spending” , he said .
Other members of the committee like Senators Adelere Oriolowo (APC Osun West), Abba Moro ( PDP Benue South) etc, also lampooned the Ministry for coming up with such idea.
The N450million already budgeted for fighting the scourge in the alleged vulnerable areas, according to them, was enough .
They angrily asked the permanent Secretary to explain how the idea was arrived at and how it will be implemented.
The Permanent Secretary in his response said subsidiary arrangement have been made with all the states involved through required signing of agreement .
▪︎ Report by National Update