The
Nigerian Medical Association on Tuesday reflected on the state of the
nation’s health sector, expressing regret that even at 53 the country’s
health sector was still struggling for the dividends of democracy.
The association however offered some solutions that it said would improve the health indices of the country.
President of NMA, Dr. Osahon Enabulele,
in a statement to commemorate the country’s 53rd Independence however
said there was still hope despite all the challenges facing the country.
Enabulele said, “It is an undeniable
fact that in the last 53 years of Nigeria’s history, her health sector
like other sectors of the country’s economy has had its good and bad
times with uninspiring national health indices attributable to years of
cumulative insults; lack of professional order and best practices; a
weak private health sector; poorly developed social infrastructure, as
well as policy inconsistency.
“It is troubling that after 53 years of
Nigeria’s independence, her health system is still struggling to deliver
health dividends of democracy to her long suffering people.”
As a solution, Enabulele suggested
commitment to electoral reforms and enthronement of good governance;
political commitment to health by all levels of government; and
reduction in frequent recourse to foreign medical care to save Nigeria
from the huge capital flight and annual loss of over $800 million due to
unrestricted medical tourism.
He said, “I am sanguine that if most of
these strategic recommendations are given serious consideration and
implemented, Nigeria in the not-too-distant future should have a
healthcare delivery system that compares favourably with that of other
developed countries.
“As Nigeria celebrates her 53rd
Independence anniversary, she could in subsequent years, witness better
performance in her overall growth and development if greater efforts are
made to secure sincere improvement in the budgetary provision for
health to at least 15 percent of Nigeria’s national budget, backed with
adequate release and effective utilization of the available funds and
resources.”
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