EditorialTHEWILL Editorial: Buhari’s Foreign Medical Trip Calls For Emergency In Nigeria’s Health...

THEWILL Editorial: Buhari’s Foreign Medical Trip Calls For Emergency In Nigeria’s Health Sector

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SAN FRANCISCO, June 19, (THEWILL) – President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent trip to the United Kingdom to, among other things, treat an ear infection has again brought to the fore the poor state of Nigeria’s health sector. The public indignation that greeted the action is predicated on the fact that the country has competent Ear, Nose and Throat, ENT specialists, who can treat what has been called a persistent ear infection afflicting the President.

This is worrisome; especially against the earlier disclosure by Health Minister Prof Isaac Adewole, that government was on the verge of banning foreign medical treatments for public office holders. Representing President Buhari at the 56th Annual General Conference and Delegates meeting of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, he said foreign medical trips would henceforth only be allowed in cases that cannot be treated locally.

We are well aware that the President could not seek foreign medical attention without referral from a local physician. While it is uncertain whether the ear infection defied the expertise of local physicians, Buhari’s resort to foreign medical treatment even when so much has been budgeted for the State House Clinic has brought the nation’s health sector to public ridicule.

This much has been said by a former Chairman of the NMA and now Vice President of Commonwealth Medical Association, Osahon Enabulele, who described the action of the President as a “tragic blot on Nigeria’s collective professional national image.”

It is regrettable that the millions of Nigerians who need quality medical attention are being denied because government is unable to provide the much-needed facilities to grow the sector. Year-in-year-out, monies are appropriated to improve on the sector, yet, this has not been realized due to the inept attitude and corruption of officials in the system.

In the face of this situation, Nigeria is wasting billions of dollars annually on the medical tourism for public officials, while the recipient countries, some of which are not as endowed, are reaping bountifully. For instance, reports claimed that between 2013 to 2014, over two billion dollars was spent on these trips, with India alone raking in N198.95 billion, even though Nigeria parades some of the best medical experts across the world.

This is quite worrisome as reports further claimed that most of these patients are attended to abroad by Nigeria-trained medical doctors. In the United States of America, these Nigerian doctors are said to be in excess of 5000, with the UK having over 3000.

It is lamentable that the quality of Nigeria’s health facilities has become so poor that patients travel abroad for even minor ailments that can be treated locally. THEWILL acknowledges that there could be health problems necessitating foreign medical attentions, but asserts that such should not be financed by taxpayers.

THEWILL recalls that the immediate past government of Goodluck Jonathan formulated the National Health Act, NHA, which was envisioned to address some of the lapses in the sector. But implementation of the Act was stalled even after it had been signed into law.

This is the time to revisit all issues contending against the growth of the nation’s health-care. This all-inclusive approach should embrace the many unresolved labour disputes between the Federal Government and the different health unions. This is considered crucial to the sustainable growth of the sector.

While Nigeria has the capacity; human and materials, to provide modern medical care for its people, it is infuriating that the media is replete with news about patients soliciting for donations from kind-hearted people, to travel abroad for organ transplants, surgeries or medical tests.

It is puzzling that even some past breakthroughs made in the sector have been lost due to the lack of maintenance of the equipment, through such vices as corruption and culture of impunity to public institutions. For instance, some equipment procured years ago by some teaching hospitals to manage critical diseases have reportedly broken down due to lack of maintenance.

THEWILL urges the Federal Government to declare an emergency in the health sector with a view to improving medical equipment, facilities and expertise to global standard. The Federal Ministry of Health should under the circumstance, prepare a blueprint for immediate implementation on how this can be attained and sustained.

THEWILL expects that the case of President Buhari’s ear infection would not only lead to an improvement in the current poor standard, but also drastically enhance all medical facilities with modern state-of the-art equipment. The private facilities should also be encouraged through loans to upgrade, while sponsoring researches aimed at better tackling the health challenges of the people.

This needed development would save the nation the billions of dollars that tantamount to capital flight. It will further increase the chances of survival for Nigerians who are dying daily due to either poor or unavailable medical attention and ultimately increase the life expectancy of Nigerians.

However, while the public awaits the current government’s response, it should in the interim direct that all public office holders, who chose to continue travelling abroad for medical treatment should personally fund their trips. THEWILL believes that this is the only way to get those responsible for fixing the sector to go all out in bringing about optimal results.

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