Appraising the state of Nigerian public healthcare system

By Damilare Adeleye

On getting to the State Hospital along with my mother, everything seemed quick and fast until I got to emergency unit where I was harshly chased away with explanation that my ailment is infectious and contagious. The doctor, however, informed my mum that they did not have personnel on ground that can treat the kind of my sickness and maybe I should come the following day.

It is known fact that most big men in Nigeria do not seek medical treatment in the country even when they want to get rid of a mere headache. Most especially, state governors, National Assembly members including the President of the Federation and his cabinet members do not, at any time, hesitate to fly abroad for their medical checkup, medical advisory or treatment. This is so not because our doctors and other medical personnel are naive or incompetent, but because the Nigerian government and its most senior officials cherish to patronise foreign enterprises, products, even at the detriment of the public. This has made our public healthcare system to be downplayed by the government who gives little or no attention to the health sector. By implication, Nigerian public health system has continued to wallop on a flagrant obscurity. Many hospitals across in the federation are in abysmal state with lack of enough beds and other essential equipment.

According to Statista, Nigeria has a second highest density of medical doctors in Africa as of April 2022. However, with over 200 million population, the figures of medical personnel in the country are shortage and far below global standards. Unfortunately, despite the shortage of manpower, many Nigerian trained doctors are trooping out in numbers to foreign countries in search for a greener pastures to better their lives and to adequately be able to cater for their family.

The reason for this ugly tread so to speak is not far-reaching considering the negligence, nonchalance and levity with which the government seemed to take our public healthcare sector. It is public knowledge that the health sector suffers concrete attention by the government. And this could be seen through rampant deteriorating medical infrastructure, low government budget allocation, poor compensation including considerable hazard allowances for public healthcare workers. Lack of political will to implement life insurance policy for our medical personnel, among others.

Not a few days ago, I was prompted to go a hospital when it seemed that my severe sickness had reached its climax. First, I went to the only Health Centre in my town of thousands population but I was rejected because there was no doctor in the facility. From my observation, only two nurses who were not even in official apparel were available in the hospital on that Wednesday afternoon. Aside that the place was bushy, unweeded and unclean, there would no more than ten beds in the whole facility. I was, however, told to go a nearest state hospital in Ota, Ogun State for my treatment. On getting to the State Hospital along with my mother, everything seemed quick and fast until I got to emergency unit where I was harshly chased away with explanation that my ailment is infectious and contagious. The doctor, however, informed my mum that they did not have personnel on ground that can treat the kind of my sickness and maybe I should come the following day. Thankfully, a nurse came in and told us to wait while she phoned a specialist from another hospital who later came after over two hours. Truly, I was tested while drugs were recommended for my treatment.

The point of the ordeal I briefly narrated above is to picture the state of our current healthcare system and how average Nigerians are mostly treated in most public health facilities. While it is understandable that many political elite who perhaps enjoy public treasury and taxpayers’ money to seek their medical tourism abroad because they are in government, it is crucial the government put the masses into consideration by prioritising public healthcare system through adequate and proper funding, consistent professional trainings for medical workers and strict monitoring of funds provided to the sector.

Evidently, thousands of Nigerians still die of malaria, measles and other cheap diseases and infections. This is to remind the government that Heath Is Wealth. Let Nigerians have access to good healthcare facility; certainly we will try to help ourselves with others.

Damilare Adeleye writes from Lagos.