The coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs) in Katsina has expressed concern over the proposed 2025 budget for the health sector, saying it is inadequate.

The chairman of the coalition, Abdulrahman Abdullahi, expressed the coalition’s worry in an interview with journalists on Wednesday in Katsina.

Gov Dikko Radda, on Nov. 25, presented a proposed budget of more than N682.2 billion for the 2025 fiscal year to the state’s House of Assembly.

The budget breakdown indicates that education has the highest allocation of more than N95.9 billion, while the ministry of agriculture and livestock development has over N81.8 billion.

However, the ministry of health has over N43.8 billion as proposed budget for the 2025 fiscal year, occupying 8.8 per cent of the budget.

Though the coalition commended the allocation for education, agriculture and other critical sectors, it noted that the health sector needed to be looked at again.

Mr Abdullahi said “with the rampant cases of different illnesses in the state and increasing need for healthcare services, the sector needs more funds to ensure serious attention for the citizens.

“Health as one of the critical sectors of social protection which focuses mostly on the public, especially the vulnerable, deserves the highest allocation.

“We are, therefore, appealing to the state assembly to consider an upward review of the sector’s proposed budget during its scrutiny.”

He stressed the need for more investments in social protection sectors, especially health, education, agriculture and other sectors.

(NAN)