Commissioner for Health Lagos State, Dr. Jide Idris, has said that financial and human resources are inadequate in both primary, second-ary and tertiary health care in the country because government at all levels are not investing enough in the sector. Idris added: "Resources are inadequate in both primary secondary and tertiary. To mention the issue of human resources, that one is a serious matter not only for the country but Lagos state too. People normally say, 'we have enough work forces but compare it to the population we serve,' it is nothing. The fact still remains that government need to invest in health. Federal, state and local is not investing enough in health."
He continued: "When it comes to allocation of money, health is relegated to the background. It is only when there is epidemic they will start looking for health using Ebola as a case study. To issues of quality, we do not deliver quality health to be frank. It is time we rebuild our stand and start doing things differently. We need innovation, government need to invest in health. World Health Organisation (WHO) stipulated 15 percent of countries' budget compared to Nigeria's five per cent or less.
"Some states provide as low as two per cent those states hardly pay salaries. How they will develop infrastructure. Lagos state is lucky because the last three governments, with serious push and noise making we see slowly in rising allocation in health sector. We seek partnership with bio sector and the private sector. Our system allows people to get sick before you treat them and that is not sustainable. What Reddington is doing is in the right direction to compliment the effort of the government because the government can do it all."
Source:MWN
