A thorough evaluation of Nigeria’s healthcare system is provided in the 2024 State of Health of the Nation Report, which highlights advancements in worker training, maternity and child health, and health Insurance coverage while also pointing out enduring issues. Health insurance coverage rose from 16.8 million in 2023 to 19.1 million in 2024, according to the research, which is based on data from the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal and Investment Initiative (NHSRII). But a sizable section of the populace still does not have financial Security and must pay for their medical treatment out of pocket.
According to the report, married women’s use of contemporary contraceptives increased from 12% in 2018 to 15% in 2023–2024; yet, 21% of them still have unmet Family Planning needs. Only about 18–19.5% of healthcare facilities stock common contraceptives, which is related to the limited availability of contraceptive products. Furthermore, only 43% of births are facility-based, meaning that many women still give birth outside of medical facilities, increasing the risk of complications and maternal death. The under-five mortality rate decreased from 132 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2018 to 110 per 1,000 in 2023, indicating an improvement in child health.
Stronger immunisation campaigns and outreach initiatives are advocated.
37% of all deaths in children under five occur within the first 28 days of life, indicating that neonatal mortality is still significant. The percentage of children aged 12 to 23 months who received all recommended immunisations is still low at 39%, while 31% did not receive any. Stronger immunisation campaigns and outreach initiatives are advocated in the report. 40% of children under five suffer from stunting, 8% from wasting, and 27% from being underweight, indicating that Malnutrition remains a serious problem. Carers’ understanding of infant and child Nutrition is very lacking, despite the fact that 49% of healthcare facilities provide nutrition-related services.
As for non-communicable diseases, the research notes that just 12% of health institutions offer services for managing hypertension, and 14% provide care for diabetes, despite the fact that 31% of Nigerians suffer from hypertension, a major risk factor for Heart Disease and stroke. 2.9 doctors per 10,000 people is still a very low doctor-to-population ratio, well below the WHO’s recommended level of 17 per 10,000. Furthermore, rural populations are underserved due to the fact that 80% of doctors work in urban areas. The government is educating 120,000 frontline health professionals, of whom 53,732 have already received training, as part of its attempts to address these issues, according to the report.
Nigerian gov’t’s health-care spending is among the lowest in the world.
It advocates for legislative changes such as higher healthcare spending, expanded health insurance coverage, improved family planning access, strengthened immunisation programs, and better incentives for rural healthcare personnel. It also advocates for local manufacture of medications and vaccines, enhanced health-care infrastructure, and investments in pandemic planning and response. Nigeria’s healthcare system has considerable discrepancies when compared to global and regional benchmarks, particularly in terms of health financing, personnel distribution, and service accessibility. In Nigeria, out-of-pocket charges account for nearly 75% of overall health expenditures, imposing a significant financial strain on households.
This figure is far higher than global guidelines, as the World Health Organisation recommends that out-of-pocket charges do not exceed 30-40% of overall health expenditures to avoid destitution from healthcare costs. The Nigerian government’s health-care spending is among the lowest in the world, adding to substantial out-of-pocket expenses for households. With government health spending at only 0.5% of GDP, the burden falls disproportionately on individuals, particularly those in low-income categories, increasing Poverty and limiting access to essential medical treatment.
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The unequal distribution of healthcare workers between urban and rural areas contributes to health inequities. Rural Nigerians, who make up almost half of the population, have access to only 12% and 19% of the total number of physicians and nurses, respectively. Exploring alternate funding channels is critical for addressing these issues. Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) can use Private Sector funds to construct healthcare infrastructure, provide services, and build capacity. Organisations such as the World Bank and the World Health Organisation can provide financial and technical assistance.