The presidency has reacted to reports that President Muhammadu Buhari will spend more on the State House Clinic than all the federal government-owned teaching hospitals put together.
Presdent Muhammadu Buhari presenting the 2016 budget last year
Premium Times had on Tuesday, February 2, 2016, revealed that the State House Clinic, which caters for the President, Vice President and other staff of the Presidential Villa, numbering about one thousand, will cost about N787 million more than all the 16 teaching hospitals owned by the federal government put together.
Leadership reports that the senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, Garba Shehu described the report as off the mark and insensitive.
In a statement issued to counter the report, Shehu however said contrary to the report, the total sum for health institutions as given by the director-general, budget office is more than N200bn.
The statement read: “According to the draft budget presented to the National Assembly, the budget for the clinic is N3.8b.”
Shehu further argued that the teaching hospitals have more than 50 percent of the allocation for health, challenging anyone interested to check out the detailed allocations to the teaching hospitals, the federal medical centers and the specialist hospitals owned by the federal government.
He added: “The increased spending on government health institutions in the current budget should be seen in the light of the administration’s plan to improve medical facilities at home as a way of discouraging overseas trips in search of treatment.”
The presidency did not however, counter revelations made last week about the 2016 budget which showed that refreshment and meals at the State House will consume about N104.744 million, as newspapers purchase will take a total of N11.406 million.
SOURCE: Leadership,Naij.com news, Kings blog
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