Affordable healthcare for its population is a major concern for Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa. Growing medical expenses have become a barrier, preventing millions of people from getting the care they need. As per a 2023 World Bank report, approximately 47% of Nigerians make less than $2.15 per day. Most people can no longer afford basic healthcare since the typical cost of a medical visit in public facilities ranges from ₦20,000 to ₦50,000, while private hospitals have far higher costs.
Due to factors including inflation, reliance on imports, and fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, the price of pharmaceuticals has also increased. Since 2021, for instance, the cost of popular antibiotics like amoxicillin has more than doubled, making necessary treatments unaffordable. The underfunding of Nigeria’s healthcare system is a major factor in this crisis. The nation’s health budget is less than 5% of GDP, which is significantly less than the 15% goal established by the 2001 Abuja Declaration. This shortage has resulted in overworked public hospitals, a lack of medical supplies, and a dependence on pricey private healthcare providers.
Nigeria is responsible for 20% of maternal mortality worldwide.
Less than 5% of Nigerians are enrolled in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), indicating that medical insurance coverage is also rather low. The majority of people are forced to pay out of pocket, which frequently results in postponed or inadequate treatment. This circumstance has grave consequences for the citizens. Maternal mortality and preventable illnesses like typhoid and Malaria are still common. Nigeria is responsible for 20% of maternal mortality worldwide, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), many of which might be prevented with prompt and reasonably priced medical intervention.
Chronic diseases like Diabetes and Hypertension also frequently go untreated because they are expensive, which can result in complications and early mortality. Millions of Nigerians are personally affected by the country’s healthcare problem, which goes beyond simple statistics. Nigeria’s healthcare expenditures are conspicuously inadequate in comparison to other nations with comparable economic profiles. Ghana and Kenya devote 7% and 6.7% of their respective GDPs to healthcare, respectively, whereas Nigeria devotes less than 5%. Furthermore, less than 5% of Nigerians are covered by the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), while nations like Rwanda have achieved universal health care, with over 90% of its residents registered in community-based health insurance.
NGOs and private companies have enhanced maternal healthcare.
This discrepancy underlines how urgently improvements addressing affordability and accessibility are needed. This crisis has workable answers. First, Infrastructure may be improved and treatment costs subsidised by raising government health funding to the 15% GDP target set in the Abuja Declaration. Second, out-of-pocket costs could be decreased by extending the NHIS to more Nigerians, especially those employed in the unorganised sector. Third, encouraging domestic pharmaceutical Manufacturing could lessen the effects of reliance on imports and exchange rate swings, lowering the cost of necessary medications.
India’s thriving pharmaceutical sector, for example, has greatly reduced healthcare expenses and enhanced access to medications. Similar tactics could be used in Nigeria to guarantee affordability and localise production. In Nigeria, efforts to improve healthcare accessibility have had some success despite the obstacles. Over 600,000 residents have signed up for the Lagos State Health Scheme (LSHS), which offers low-income households access to cheap healthcare coverage since its inception in 2018. Furthermore, collaborations between NGOs and private companies have enhanced maternal and pediatric healthcare in rural regions.
Related Article: Drug Prices Skyrocket Due to Inflation
In order to lower maternal and newborn mortality rates, the Wellbeing Foundation Africa, for instance, has offered prenatal and postnatal care to thousands of women nationwide. These instances show that development is possible with targeted Investment and the application of policies. A diversified strategy, ranging from grassroots projects to legislative changes, is needed to address Nigeria’s growing healthcare expenses. Nigeria can create a more equal healthcare system and lessen the load on its people by taking inspiration from effective models and putting health as a basic human right first.