‘FG should implement the National Health Act’

You have been at the helm of this association for some months now, what mechanism have you put in place to ensure Nigerians get quality healthcare delivery from your members? Nigerian Medical Association is the custodian of the health of the citizens. We have been advocating on health policies for six months now by reminding […]

You have been at the helm of this association for some months now, what mechanism have you put in place to ensure Nigerians get quality healthcare delivery from your members?
Nigerian Medical Association is the custodian of the health of the citizens. We have been advocating on health policies for six months now by reminding government of its responsibility to the people.
For example we have been advocating that the National Health Act which was passed in 2014 should be operationalised in totality. It is Act which when fully implemented will improve our healthcare delivery and  indices among others.
If you  own a hospital or a Teaching Hospital, there are criterias that those places must meet. 
We have been reminding the government to provide  the one percent Consolidated Revenue Fund for Health, what we call the Basic Health Care Fund (BHF).
This BHF will be available to rehabilitate and equip health centers. Primary Health Care Centers are the first point of call at ward level, and if they are fully functional, people will be accessing health care at their doorsteps.
We have also been advocating that immunization exercise should be very well attended to. We should ensure that the routine immunization exercise is functional.
We also advocate that corruption in all sectors of our society should be minimized and that is why we applaud the effort of the federal government presently in showing some steps in anti-corruption measures.
We discovered that a lot of crisis in the health sector is coming up from the fact that the agreement government reached with unions or professional associations are not implemented and that is why workers in the health sectors are aggrieved.
So in all, we have been advocating that the government should make the health sector a priority in the governance of the people.
Other health professionals have often complained that government favors medical doctors  over them. How will you address the rivalry and ensure harmonious relationship with them?
Any professional can aspire to any level as there is schedule of duty as long as there is mutual respect and as long as government shows sincerity.
 These are the focal points of my administration and I have been implementing that for the past six months. I have been advocating, am not against any professional rising in his or her own career structure for each profession and the doctor, traditionally is the leader of the profession.
That is sacrosanct but as a leader you must be seen to lead people very well, to lead others you must be transparent, you must be fair and you must show justice in leadership, you must carry the welfare of every team member of the family on your shoulder.
You don’t go for example, negotiating wage alone, you should carry everybody along. There should be a joint negotiation for wage with the sector. That is the value I have been showing.
Till date, most Nigerians access health care via out of pocket expenditure and many have been dying even from preventable diseases. How do you think Nigeria can ensure Universal Health Coverage (UHC) especially in this time of recession?
The level at which the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) is operating now is about four percent. It is only taking care of federal civil servants. What NMA is saying is that the scope of implementation of the NHIS should be widened.  And how do you widen it? The states should key into it, the non-civil servant should key into it, the market women should be enrolled, there must be a way they are enrolled.
The market women are aware, they participate in all the contributory scheme they call “Adashi”,  they do that so, they are well organized.
If you now tap into that system, there is a way they can contribute continuously into the NHIS. The farmers in the villages can be made to bring their produce, and cost them and use their produce as deposit for National Health Insurance Scheme.
So what we are saying is that the scope of NHIS should be widened not just to federal civil servants but everybody inclusive and with that we will have Universal Health Coverage. If you bring that one percent of consolidated revenue as Basic Health Fund with contribution from NHIS, it will minimize out of pocket spending.
What is your take on Public -Private Partnership (PPP)?
It is an excellent idea. It is a good system. It is working in countries that are serious with their health care system. It is working but there is phobia and that is the fear that once it is fully operated in our health institution, it is going to increase the cost of care.
So, PPP with a robust NHIS will be the tonic to turn our poor health indices. We must educate our companies on public-private partnership. It is operated as pilot studies in some centers. University College Hospital, Ibadan has a PPP system . We have seen that where PPP is implemented, quality services is guaranteed. Therefore, on a wide scale, if we implement it, that will be the tonic for improved quality health care in our country.
What is your take on  the showdown between health unions and the federal government over the reinstatement of the boss of  FMC, Owerri?
They should allow services to run there. Whosoever is against the decision of the government that employed them  to work under an executive officer should go to court, the court is there.
A military action against a constituted authority will not solve the problem. All I want FMC Owerri to give is continuous service which is my prayer in all health institutions. Our people are dying; we should not deny them of healthcare because of our interest.
My take is that our colleagues who setup other bodies and do not allow due process should go to court  if they are not happy.
The government can be sued for not listening to them, the courts are there. This is my appeal even to my colleagues who are doctors; we should not take laws into our hands.
Tell  us about the NMA Physician Week held recently?
The Physician Week is a week we set aside as doctors to look at what we have done in a year, see the challenges and provide solutions to government for implementation.
This year, we started with a world press conference, followed with walk from Maitama to the Presidency because our theme this year is “Healthcare delivery in a frail economy: challenges and way forward.”
We told government during the walk that this law or Act if you start operating it, it will bring succor to Nigerians particularly in the health sector.