Nigeria @58: NMA President expresses worry over poor healthcare system

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

The President of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Francis Faduyile has expressed worry over the country’s poor healthcare system.
Faduyile in a statement he personally issued yesterday said “It is worth noting that 58 years after we became independent, Nigeria has not made an impressive mark, which accounts for its low ranking in the Global Human Development and Health Indices. We also observed that the country has never lacked effective recommendations to mitigate our crippling socio-economic, political and developmental woes; rather poor and lacklustre implementation including absence of the needed political will, have been responsible for the uninspiring status of the nation in the global development circle.
“In particular, the failure to fully implement the National Health Act 2014, which we believe will guarantee Nigerians Universal Health Coverage (UHC). It is important to reiterate that Universal Health Coverage shall not only increase access to health care delivery but also make it affordable through the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) with the Community Based Health Insurance Scheme (CBSHIP) as an integral component and will be complemented by the Basic Healthcare Provision fund and other sources of fund from luxury items and ‘sin’ taxes.
“Irrespective of these lapses and setbacks, the Nigerian Medical Association believes there is hope for a greater Nigeria, and therefore urge all Nigerians to keep faith with the government and diligently contribute their quota to the ‘change mantra’ of the present administration”.
The statement added that religious and ethnic diversities should be a source of strength and unity rather than weakness and division, saying this is the time for all Nigerians to meditate on the present state of affairs in the country and resolve to contribute their quota sacrifially towards our nation’s building.
The NMA boss said in her recent visit to President Muhammadu Buhari, restated the urgent need for the Government to release the white paper of the Alh. Mahmud Yayale Ahmed-led Committee on Inter-Professional Relationships in the Public Health Sector and to speedily commence the implementation of its recommendations as a way to arrest the tide of disharmony in the Health sector. We are confident of the pedigree and track records of the Committee members, and the thoroughness of their activities strongly suggest that they would not have misdirected the nation.
“Finally, despite the expiration of our ultimatum to the Federal Government to reconstitute the Council of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, which elapsed on the 30th September 2018, the Nigerian Medical Association wishes to extend it by two weeks, in good faith. This is to allow government to complete the process of its reconstitution, which we believe has reached an advanced stage. However, we will not accept any further delay beyond 14th October 2018.”