Peter Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, has expressed concern about the condition of the country’s healthcare system. He noted that currently, many Nigerians choose to rely on prayers for healing instead of seeking medical treatment when they are ill. Obi, who was also the presidential candidate for Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, criticized the government at both state and federal levels for focusing on upgrading healthcare facilities at governors’ residences, the Presidency, and the National Assembly, while neglecting those intended for the general public.
Speaking during the 6th Public Lecture hosted by the Board of Fellows, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (BOF-PSN) at Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) in Awka, Obi emphasized the importance of the government prioritizing the health of its citizens. As the keynote speaker on the topic ‘Access to Quality Medicine in An Unstable Environment’, he highlighted the significance of the government’s role in providing quality healthcare to its people. He, however, expressed regret over the country’s leadership incompetence in addressing the lack of attention given to health issues in the country.
Local production of pharmaceuticals should be promoted.
He said the government has chosen to focus on issuing licenses for drug imports and collecting Revenue from importers, rather than collaborating with local pharmaceutical industries to produce high-quality drugs and medicines. Obi voiced concerns over the sector’s budgeted allocation and called for more emphasis to be placed on health-related matters. He said the government should implement policy that will promote local production of pharmaceuticals. Despite the country’s commitment to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Nigeria has failed to set up any disease testing laboratories following the COVID-19 pandemic, he added.
Healthcare in Nigeria is undeniably struggling due to various issues such as the trend of citizens seeking medical treatment abroad, declining medical facilities, inadequate government funding, and the loss of skilled workers. The shortage of medical professionals is a significant problem, with only around 35,000 medical professionals available despite a demand for 237,000, as per WHO data. This shortage is partly fuelled by the large number of workers leaving the country to work abroad.
Several proactive measures have been implemented.
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) estimates that Nigeria is losing a minimum of $2 billion annually due to the practice of citizens traveling abroad for medical treatment. In 2023, reports indicate that just 20 percent of Primary Health Care Centers (PHCs) are operational nationwide. The Healthcare Industry in Nigeria has long been struggling, The country’s health sector is teetering on the edge as doctors, nurses, and other vital medical professionals continue to leave for better opportunities overseas. Insufficient financial support for training and development initiatives in the sector on tributes to the issue of medical professionals leaving the country.
However, the Nigerian government has implemented several proactive measures as part of efforts to improve healthcare access for all Nigerians such as partnering with global organizations, revitalizing community health centres, and enhancing healthcare services. Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) joined forces with the Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria (PSHAN) to enhance PHCs with the introduction of the Adopt-A-Healthcare Facility Program (ADHFP). This collaboration signals the beginning of a fresh era in enhancing healthcare services nationwide.
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Also, the federal government is focused on improving the effectiveness of the existing 8,809 PHCs across the country. The plan involves increasing the number of PHCs to 17,618 by 2027 to support the goal of Universal Health Coverage (UHC). It is projected that over the course of 2024-2026, a total of $2.5 billion will be raised and allocated to improve the country’s PHC services in order to achieve better results. Additionally, the government has allocated N260 billion for the revitalization of these PHCs nationwide.