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From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), have listed the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), adequate funding and Public-Private Partnership (PPP) as important conditions necessary to rehabilitate and develop the country’s declining health sector.
NARD President, FCTA chapter, Nnamdi Ezuma, made the disclosure while speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2021 annual health week held in Abuja, Wednesday.
Ezuma insisted that necessary steps needed to revive the nation’s health system were glaring but the political will from the government to effect the changes were lacking .
According to him, “Private-public partnership is crucial in resolving the problem within the health system; between the doctors and other health workers is also important. If we consider these factors, the health sector would definitely improve,” Ezuma said.
“If there is sincerity of purpose, let us sit down and solve these issues, we can’t continue creating bottlenecks to solve issues that can be easily resolved. The healthcare system works in other places. Why can’t it work here? These solutions are things we can effect,”
Also speaking, The Director, FCT Health Insurance, Ahmed Dan Fulani, said there were too many issues ravaging the healthcare system in Nigeria. He listed some of them to include corruption, lack of access to clean water, poor hygiene, fake drugs, insecurity among others. He however, agreed that most pressing among the issues were low funding and poor health insurance enrollment among the populace.
Danfulani explained that a blueprint must be designed for successful healthcare delivery in Nigeria which according to him must accommodate robust budgetary allocation to healthcare and mandatory health insurance for every citizen.
The health insurance Director also opined that the government must collaborate with the private sector to get adequate funding for health care as one sector cannot do the job alone.
He asserted, “ I have taken time to look at not only the crises between the government and NARD, but also the issues ravaging the healthcare system in Nigeria. One of the greatest challenges of healthcare is funding. A llot needs to be done to improve on it. The private individuals and philanthropists need to come in and see how they can help improve the sector
“The challenges are multi-sectoral, the government has their own fault, and the health care practitioners have their own faults, even the general public. These people need to come together to see how to transform the sector.
“Nigeria doctors are some of the best doctors in the world but there are too many factors mitigating against their delivery in this country, and these we must tackle to get the best out of them.”
