Daud Olatunji
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate, has shed light on the stark realities faced by many Nigerians in accessing healthcare.
Speaking at the fifth legislative summit on health in Abuja, themed “Improving Legislative Stewardship and Accountability for Universal Health Coverage,” Pate said the significant barriers to medical care is primarily affordability.
During his address on Friday, Pate said that many Nigerians rely on public facilities for their healthcare needs, with a considerable number not seeking medical care at all due to cost constraints.
He drew the revelation from a comprehensive survey involving 2,500 Nigerians, aimed at understanding their healthcare expectations, experiences, and concerns.
“Many Nigerians rely on public facilities, private facilities, or sometimes do not seek medical care at all due to affordability issues.
“The quality of care in many facilities was also found lacking,” Pate noted.
He further elaborated that traditional health challenges such as maternal, newborn, and child health, as well as infectious diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV, persist alongside the rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases like hypertension, diabetes, and cancers as the population ages.
The survey’s findings also pointed out critical challenges, including inadequate funding, fragmentation, and a lack of resources and manpower within the health sector.
Pate remarked, “Public health spending is approximately $13-14 per person, with total health spending at $85, most of which is out-of-pocket.
“This is insufficient, especially when compared to countries like Ethiopia and Bangladesh, which achieve better health outcomes with similar or lesser spending.”
Highlighting the fragmented nature of Nigeria’s healthcare system, Pate noted the lack of cohesion across federal, state, and local levels, which operate independently rather than as a unified national health system.
He said the fragmentation contributes to the underfunding and lack of essential resources and trained personnel in many primary healthcare centres and hospitals.
In response to these challenges, the Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative was unveiled in December 2023.
Pate said the initiative is designed to address the systemic issues plaguing the health sector.
He added that It focuses on governance, improving population health outcomes, retaining healthcare workers, unlocking the healthcare value chain, and ensuring health security.
“The Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative is not just a Federal Government endeavour but a collective effort involving state and local governments, the private sector, and civil society.
We need to ensure coherence and collaboration across all levels to achieve our goals,” Pate stated.
He stressed the importance of health as a unifying issue that transcends political and geographical boundaries, advocating for increased political and financial support to improve health outcomes, enhance national security, and foster unity.
In her welcome address, Dr Ipalibo Banigo, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, acknowledged the poor health development indices in Nigeria and called for urgent measures to address gaps in the healthcare delivery system.
“We believe that with collaboration, dialogue, and knowledge-sharing, we can improve healthcare and make life better for all Nigerians.
“No part of Nigeria should be left out,” she said. Banigo also advocated for adequate funding and sustainable partnerships to enhance transparency for Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Dr Walter Mulombo, the World Health Organisation’s representative in Nigeria, applauded the country’s commitment to UHC and the Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative.
Mulombo stressed that UHC requires political commitment to ensure everyone has access to essential health services of good quality at an affordable cost without facing financial hardship.
At the event, Dr Stanley Ukpai, Director of Projects at the Development Research and Projects Centre, advocated increased investment in the health sector.
Ukpai highlighted that collaboration between Civil Society Organisations and legislative engagement could significantly enhance healthcare delivery in the country.
He reaffirmed dRPC’s commitment to contributing towards Nigeria’s goal of achieving UHC.
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