Daud Olatunji
Former Governor of Cross River State, Mr. Donald Duke, has called on the Federal Government to adopt an innovative healthcare funding model leveraging Nigeria’s telecom infrastructure by deducting N5 from every phone call to support a nationwide health insurance scheme.
Duke made the suggestion on Thursday while speaking as the guest speaker at the Annual General Meeting and International Conference of the Association of Nigerian Private Medical Practitioners, held in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
He explained that with over 157 million mobile subscribers in the country, a micro-deduction model could generate up to N9 trillion — an amount he said would far exceed Nigeria’s current healthcare budget.
“This will unlock access, attract investors, improve clinical governance, and ultimately transform our health ecosystem,” Duke stated.
He described Nigeria’s current healthcare system as unsustainable and warned that the continued neglect of the sector would hinder national productivity.
According to him, effective healthcare delivery requires a bold public-private partnership model.
Duke also lashed out at the government’s allocation of just four per cent of the national budget to health — a far cry from the 15 per cent benchmark recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
He criticised the diversion of limited funds to recurrent expenses and non-essential items like foreign seminars and vehicles.
“Health is not wealth — health is everything,” he asserted. “The government’s role must transcend patient care to enabling the entire healthcare value chain to function optimally.”
The former governor identified chronic challenges plaguing the sector, including underfunding, poor infrastructure, low manpower, and rampant corruption.
He noted that the doctor-to-patient ratio in Nigeria stood at an alarming 1:5,000, compared to the WHO’s 1:1,000 standard.
He further lamented the brain drain crisis, revealing that over 16,000 doctors and an equal number of nurses had left the country in the past five years due to poor remuneration and working conditions.
“How do we start a doctor on a monthly salary of N150,000 and expect them to stay?” he queried. “We are only encouraging medical tourism and brain drain.”
As part of his reform recommendations, Duke advocated for public and private hospitals to be designated as accredited clinical training centres, backed by better infrastructure and salaries to retain local medical talent.
He commended the Federal Government’s recent launch of the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain, describing it as a step in the right direction.
However, he emphasised that its success depended on access to affordable credit and stronger incentives to encourage private investment and diaspora involvement.
Drawing inspiration from India’s health reforms, Duke recommended tax exemptions, concessional land allocation, and targeted credit schemes to attract Nigerian medical professionals back home.
He concluded by urging the association to work closely with government to set quality standards, expand rural access, and enhance clinical training — measures he said would help restore public confidence and raise global standards.
“This sector must be unlocked by all hands — public and private,” he said. “With the right policy, infrastructure, and innovation, Nigeria can build a healthcare system that delivers for all.”
The conference drew stakeholders from across the country’s private medical sector, health administrators, and government officials.
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