Party manifesto without healthcare delivery not welcome, say doctors

The Nigerian Medical Association has planned a first-ever townhall meeting to explore the “issues, trends, opportunities and threats” the 2019 general elections pose to health care delivery in Nigeria, the association announced in Abuja on Tuesday. The townhall, alongside political parties, media, students, civil society and non-government groups, will accord party manifestoes, strategies and work […]

The Nigerian Medical Association has planned a first-ever townhall meeting to explore the “issues, trends, opportunities and threats” the 2019 general elections pose to health care delivery in Nigeria, the association announced in Abuja on Tuesday.

The townhall, alongside political parties, media, students, civil society and non-government groups, will accord party manifestoes, strategies and work plans that focus on health care delivery, said NMA president Mike Ogirima.

The townhall is a modification of its scientific conference scheduled to hold early May, and will use input of stakeholders to draft an “Abuja Declaration of Commitment” toward integrating healthcare delivery issues in the epicentre of national politics for development, said Ogirima.

“Healthcare delivery today in Nigeria is at a crossroad of sort. Nigeria’s health and socio-demographic indices have kept on plundering,” he said at a briefing ahead of the association’s scientific conference—the last in his tenure.

Nigeria ranks 181 out of 187 countries globally on health care delivery; immunisation coverage has dropped from “76% few years ago to 23%”; it is among countries yet to eradicate polio and both life expectancy and mortalities are “in the red zones”, said Ogirima.

Overall health insurance coverage extends to less than five in 100 Nigerians since 2005 and the country has slipped from first position on the Global Happiness Survey to 91st since 2003, said Ogirima.

“Nigeria is no longer in need of legislations or policy instruments to change the narratives of healthcare delivery,” he noted.

“What Nigeria needs today is the strongest political will at every level of governance  to do things differently.

“This will manifest in improved resource prioritisation and allocation to the sector, innovative and sustainable healthcare financing options, enhanced sectoral oversight and supportive supervision, incentivising healthcare issues including applying reasonable sanctions to defaulters.”