By Anan Geolengs
The Coordinating Minister of Health, Muhammed Pate, said Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) have become the fastest-growing segment of Nigeria’s disease burden, requiring urgent health system readiness.
Speaking on Thursday in Abuja at the unveiling of a book on Nigeria NCDs and Reform, organised by the Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria (HERFON), Pate
said hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, stroke, sickle cell disease, cancers and neurological conditions are on the rise due to lifestyle changes and an aging population.
The minister said Nigeria’s health reforms started over 20 years ago, culminating in the National Health Act, with significant progress recorded in the last three years.
He said the Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative, MAMI has reduced maternal deaths by 22 per cent and newborn deaths by 10 per cent.
He said a recent mini Demographic and Health Survey showed increased skilled birth attendance, antenatal care and contraceptive prevalence.
“Malaria incidence has dropped to 15 per cent, the lowest in 20 to 30 years, based on survey statistics, but added that HIV, Tuberculosis and maternal mortality remain challenges.
“NCDs, even though smaller, are becoming an increasingly faster-growing segment of our burden of disease,” he said.
He further revealed that many cases of diabetes and hypertension remain undiagnosed and uncontrolled, with limited local evidence on how the diseases manifest in African populations.
He said the Federal Government, through the Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, has strengthened governance by bringing federal, state and local governments, civil society and the private sector to the table.
“The federal health budget allocation has increased to six per cent from about three to four per cent previously, while states are being encouraged to increase funding.
“Government has expanded the primary healthcare system, retrained almost 80,000 frontline health workers in three years and doubled admission quotas for medical and nursing students.
“Currently, three out of six world-class tertiary centres have been commissioned in Azare, Enugu and Benin, while 10 world-class diagnostic centres with MRI, CT scans and catheterisation laboratories have been completed in partnership with MedServe and NSIA, with two recently commissioned in Ibadan and Bauchi.
Pate added that the Federal Executive Council recently approved over 268 billion naira for major infrastructural projects at the National Hospital, Abuja.
“The government is promoting prevention through the National Health Promotion Policy and the Know Your Numbers campaign, which reached 10 million Nigerians with checks for blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and prostate-specific antigen.
“Government has also introduced Medipool, a group purchasing organisation, to ensure availability of quality, affordable medicines at primary healthcare centres and improve treatment compliance for hypertension and diabetes.”
The minister noted that affordability remains critical as NCDs require lifelong treatment, noting that over seven million Nigerians have been added to health insurance in the last three years through the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA).
He said local manufacturing of pharmaceuticals is being expanded through the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC).
Pate commended HERFON and authors of the book for providing analysis and recommendations for Nigeria’s response to NCDs.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Board of Trustees of HERFON, Alhaji Idris Muhammed, said the foundation advocates for better health for all Nigerians through policy advocacy, capacity building and evidence generation at local, state and national levels.
“HERFON has presence in the 36 states and the FCT, and contributed to landmark achievements in the health sector, including the enactment of the National Health Act, 2014.”
He said the book is a product of months of review by over 70 subject experts across Nigeria, South Africa, the Middle East, the United Kingdom and the United States.
“The book tells us where we are, what we are doing wrong and what we must do right to stem the tide of NCDs,” he said.
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