Archbishop Martins urges improved healthcare delivery

Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins, has called for an improved healthcare delivery system to cater for the people instead of health tourism that many Nigerians embark on.

Martins made the call yesterday in a condolence message to sympathise with Nigerians over the demise of the former president, Muhammadu Buhari, in a London hospital.

He decried the lack of adequate medical facilities in the country, saying such had posed threat to many and claimed lives as many could not afford to travel abroad to seek medical care.

According to him, the Church commiserates with the entire family of the late former President Buhari and all others who mourn his death. “May God grant him eternal rest and consolation to all who are saddened by his death.

“His death in a London hospital brings into focus again the need to develop healthcare delivery and facilities in our country to stem the tide of medical tourism.

“This anomaly does not only drain the purses of those who can afford it, but more importantly, it also deepens the pain of those who cannot afford medical treatment overseas.

“They are left with the feeling that they are being left to die even from the most easily treatable illnesses.

“If the former First Lady can lament the poor state of the State House clinic during their tenure, one can only imagine the state of clinics and hospitals meant for the common man.

“It is, indeed, a shame that the death of President Buhari makes it the second time that the President of our country would die in hospitals overseas.

“The death of Buhari should ginger our governments to wake up to the need for doing something strategic to improve the healthcare delivery.

“His death is also a wake-up call to find ways of dealing with the issues that lead to the brain drain that has impacted the health sector very badly and continues to impoverish healthcare delivery in the country,” he said.

He regretted that nearly every health care professional was waiting for an opportunity to leave the country (Japa) and use their expertise to care for people of other countries.

“Ironically, many times, it is the same medical professionals who should be taking care of us in the country that people meet in hospitals when they go abroad,” the cleric added.

He prayed that the death of Buhari should be the catalyst for bringing about the necessary improvement on the state of healthcare delivery in the country.