Health sector still lacks democracy dividends –NMA

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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