Address The Decay In Nigeria’s Health Sector, NMA Boss Tells Tinubu

By Damilola Adeparusi

The Ekiti State Chairman of Nigerian Medical Associations, NMA, Dr Babatunde Rosiji has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently address the deplorable state of the Nigeria’s health sector for optimal performance and service.

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Reading the communique on Sunday, Dr. Rosiji lamented that the country’s health sector is in comatose and government needed to urgently find a lasting solution to revive the ailing sector.

He added that the health sector lacked the infrastructural capacity and personnel to manage health demands of Nigerians due to the inadequate funding and harsh working environment forcing doctors and other health practitioners to leave the country for western countries.

The NMA Chairman said that the health sector has suffered neglect with public hospitals lacking necessary equipment for effective and efficient healthcare service delivery.

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The NMA also urged the government at all level to increase budgetary allocation for health sector to 15% in compliance with Abuja Declaration in order to tackle the challenges plaguing the sector.

This was part of the resolution contained in a communique issued after the 26th Annual General Meeting, AGM, held between August 5th and 11th, 2023, in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

The communique was jointly signed by the Chairman, Dr. Babatunde Rosiji and the Secretary, Dr. Moses Dada and made available to journalist on Sunday.

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The NMA Chairman said that the health sector has suffered neglect with public hospitals lacking necessary equipment for effective and efficient healthcare service delivery.

Other resolutions of the communique include, “The AGM observed that the subsidy removal coupled with the declining value of the naira have led to an astronomical increase in the cost of drugs and medical consumables. This coupled with the prohibitive cost of transportation is threatening delivery of qualitative health services as it is becoming increasingly difficult for health workers to commute daily to the hospitals and to keep medical services running uninterruptedly. Patients are now presenting very late to the hospital.

“The AGM called on the Federal Government to provide a general cover by rolling out far reaching palliatives which will be in tandem with the over 300% increase in the cost of petroleum products occasioned by the sudden removal of fuel subsidy.

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“The AGM called on the FG to urgently address the rising cost of drugs and medical consumables before the cost of health services become so prohibitive to the point of driving patients away from our hospitals. All efforts must be made to ensure universal coverage of citizens under the NHIA. Efforts must also be made by the NHIA to review the drug tariff currently being operated to reflect current economic realities.

“The AGM applauded the Ekiti State Governor, H/E Mr. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji for his unwavering commitment to the welfare of workers in Ekiti State. This has been demonstrated again in the recently rolled out palliatives which cuts across various strata of Ekiti people. The approval of pay parity for clinical workers at the Hospitals’ Management Board will now help in attracting fresh hands to the Hospitals’ Management Board and this will better position the HMB for better service delivery.

“The AGM expressed confidence that the consequential adjustment of minimum wage and pay parity will equally be extended to our colleagues in EKSUTH and PHCDA.

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“The AGM also called on other state Governors to emulate the Governor of Ekiti state by providing well thought out palliatives to the masses”, it added.

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