Senate passes bill to establish six Universities of Medical Sciences; Approves Human Rights Fund to tackle sexual, gender-based violence, others
The Senate, Tuesday, passed a bill seeking to establish Federal Universities of Medical Sciences and Biomedical Technology in each of the six geo-political zones in Nigeria.
The bill was passed during plenary after the chamber considered a report on it by the Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary).
Chairman of the Committee, Senator Yahaya Oloriegbe (Kwara Central), in his presentation, said the establishment of the Universities in the six zones of the country would address the dearth in admission of students aspiring to study Medicine and Allied Sciences in Nigeria.
According to the lawmaker, the presence of the university would also supply the much-needed manpower in the healthcare service sector as well as boost income generation and ensure economic growth.
“When passed into law, the huge gap in doctor-patient ratio as well as in medical research and production of pharmaceutical products will be abridged.
“The universities will also advance healthcare delivery in Nigeria through research and innovation, training and development of the health sector”, he said.
The Federal University of Medical Sciences and Biomedical Technology bill was passed by the chamber after a clause-by-clause consideration of the report on it by the Committee of the Whole.
Also on Tuesday, the Senate passed a bill to reposition the National Human Rights Commission by establishing the National Human Rights Fund in Nigeria’s annual budget.
The Fund when established, would be used particularly for interventions on sexual and gender-based violence and other unforeseen human rights violations in the country.
The Bill tagged: “The National Human Rights Commission Act (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, 2021 (SB.587)”, was read for the first time on 2nd December, 2020.
It seeks to repeal and enact the National Human Rights Commission Act 2010 (as amended).
The passage of the bill was sequel to the consideration of a report by the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters.
Chairman of the Committee, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti Central), said the bill seeks to “reposition and streamline the institutional framework of the Commission by strengthening its capacity to conduct investigations on human rights issues, as well as expand on the scope of the Commission’s operation, generally.
“The bill also makes specific provisions to provide for the National Human Rights Fund in the National Budget as well as provide effective means of sustaining contribution to the Fund, whereby non-governmental organisations and multi-national corporations will make remittances to the account, accordingly”, Bamidele said.
He explained that the establishment of the human rights fund is in line with international practices, as it relates to human rights institutions globally.
He stated that the Fund would facilitate the seamless discharge of the statutory functions of the Commission in line with the Paris Principles.
“This is important in view of the rising spate of insecurity, sexual and gender-based violence and other unforeseen human rights violations in the country, which cannot be contemplated and adequately budgeted for, during consideration of annual budgets”, he added.
