Kingsley Ohens reporting 

BENIN CITY — The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Edo State Branch, has called on the Edo State Government to sustain its recent improvement in health-sector funding by progressively increasing the allocation to healthcare towards the 15 percent benchmark prescribed under the Abuja Declaration.

The call was made by the Chairman of the Edo State NMA, Dr. Andrew Oseghale Eigbedion, during his inaugural address at a World Press Conference in Benin City, where he acknowledged the steps taken by the administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo to strengthen investment in the state’s health sector.

Dr. Eigbedion noted that the allocation of 9.4 percent of the state’s 2026 budget to healthcare represents a significant improvement over the sub-five-percent allocations recorded in previous years, describing the development as a positive indication of growing government commitment to the wellbeing of Edo residents.

However, the NMA chairman urged the administration to build on the progress as preparations commence for the 2027 budget, stressing that achieving stronger health outcomes requires sustained and strategic investment rather than sporadic interventions.

According to him, increased funding should translate into tangible improvements across the healthcare delivery chain, particularly in primary healthcare, emergency medical services, maternal and child health, disease prevention and control, digital health systems, healthcare workforce development, biomedical equipment and rural healthcare services.

He also advocated stronger investment in preventive medicine, medical research and innovation, noting that a well-funded health system is essential not only to saving lives but also to strengthening human capital and supporting sustainable economic development.

The NMA chairman stressed that healthcare expenditure should no longer be viewed merely as a recurrent government cost, but as a strategic investment capable of producing significant social and economic returns.

He maintained that healthier citizens are more productive, while an efficient healthcare system reduces preventable deaths, improves workforce productivity and strengthens the overall resilience of society.

“Every naira invested in health yields long-term dividends for the state,” Dr. Eigbedion emphasized, urging the government to maintain the momentum of the current administration and progressively move Edo State closer to the 15 percent health-funding benchmark.

The NMA’s position also places the health sector at the centre of the broader policy conversation ahead of the 2027 budget, with the association calling for a funding framework that prioritises quality, accessibility, affordability and sustainability in healthcare delivery across Edo State.

The call is expected to further strengthen the ongoing dialogue between the medical profession and the Edo State Government on how increased public investment can translate into improved healthcare infrastructure, better working conditions for health professionals and more accessible medical services for citizens, particularly those living in rural and underserved communities.

For the NMA, the objective is clear: the progress recorded in the 2026 budget should serve as a foundation for a more ambitious health-sector investment strategy in 2027 and beyond.

— Streetbuzznews Reporter