The Associate Medical Director for Patient Safety at the Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation, United Kingdom, Prof. Rotimi Jaiyesimi, has said that lack of political will to invest in infrastructure is one of the reasons the health sector has been performing below the optimum. Jaiyesimi, a consultant gynaecologist/obstetrician, emphasised the need for the governments at all levels to deliver accessible and affordable care, starting from the rural areas where well-established primary health care centres are few and far between. He said, “The primary care has to be looked at, because the rural areas and the smaller cities are where most Nigerians live and, sorry to say, die also. We need a well-equipped primary health care system, while we do not neglect the secondary and tertiary centres either.“Malaria drug vaccines and so many other medical products are imported. Yet, many of these diseases are peculiar to the tropics. With the right support and an enabling environment, Nigeria can produce its own drug for Nigerians.” Noting that Nigeria has a national research centre that could deliver if well-funded, he commended the recognition of some universities such as the University of Ibadan, which has been designated the centre of excellence. He said such recognised tertiary institutions could work with pharmaceutical companies in the areas of developing and manufacturing drugs that could tackle diseases that are peculiar to Africans.
Decrying the connection between ill health and poverty, the physician who introduced Clinical Governance to UCH, said that in view of the extent and depth of poverty in the country, it is not surprising that the health status of the country is poor, with an average life expectancy of less than 50 years. “Nigeria is in the low human development index category and even ranks behind some West African countries with less economic potential, and which are in the medium human development category.
Jaiyesimi, who is currently the Chairman of the Brighthope Specialist Hospital, noted that ill health and poverty reinforce each other, saying that the poor are more likely to experience ill health because of several factors such as poor diet and poor living conditions. “When a poor person is sick, he is less likely to access health care services because of inability to pay. The poor in Nigeria are more likely to be found in rural areas and peri-urban slums, where high quality health care delivery is often lacking,” he said. Noting that ill health affects productivity and reduces income, he also said that in an attempt to access care by paying out-of-pocket, the poor tends to spend their savings, thus diminishing their ability to invest in profitable ventures.
He advised that the efforts to improve the health sector must also be approached from its poverty reduction potential; urging the government to be genuinely committed to the health sector reform.
Source:Punch Nigeria
