From Yakubu Mustapha, Minna.
The Pioneer Provost of School of Medical Sciences, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi, Professor Kabiru Sabitu has lamented over the high rate of infant and maternal mortality rate in Nigeria. Sabitu stated this at the weekend when he delivered the 3rd Annual Lecture of Newgate College of Health Technology in Minna, he attributed the failure to the failure of the Primary Health Care delivery system.
He state that achieving successful health care financing has continued to elude the country because of the very low level of government health funding some of which come from donor fund.
According to him, “infant mortality ratio in Nigeria is 69 per 1000 live births while maternal mortality ratio is 840 per 100,000 live births. It is also of serious concern that the ratio of doctors per 10000 population is 4:0”.
Sabitu hinted that government at all levels have continued to allocate below 5% of their annual budget to education despite the Abuja declaration that stipulated 15% of annual budget.
He, however, called on federal government to commence the implementation of the Primary Health Care Act as passed by the National Assembly and assented to by former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Prof Sabitu then said that the Act was explicit on how to fund the PHC system adding that the success of health care delivery in the country will be a mirage if patients continue to pay for services from their pockets.
In a remark, the Executive Director of the College, Alhaji Hassan Nuhu said that the institution was ready to contribute to the development of the country with the training of man power in the health sector.
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