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.”