“…Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?”(Romans 6:1)
Should we always run out of the country before we can enjoy the benefit of a good health care facility? United Kingdom (UK), United States (US), India, Saudi Arabia and many other countries have been the final destination of many Nigerians for health consultation and treatment; former President Umaru Musa Yar’adua was declared dead on May 6, 2010 at a hospital in Saudi Arabia, and Babalola Borishade a former Minister of Aviation died on April 26, 2017 at a London hospital and on January 23, 2017. President Mohammadu Buhari travelled to the UK for treatment and returned back March 10, 2017, still in the game, again he recently travelled on May 12, 2017, for medical treatment. Do we have to go to this extent to get ourselves treated? Do we see the urgent need to address the health care problems that have turned us to adventurers in the name of ill health?
Do we continue in this malady? When the future we see daily seems bleak and the society we live in spells doom. The 21st century, the era of technological advancement has not ministered to our own health care system. The system continues to rotten away under politicking, corruption, poor funding, lack of equipment, lack of personnel and the lack of data to analyze our own efficiency(a major disease of Nigeria’s developmental sectors). Doctor Quadri, a health practitioner in Ilorin says, “The future is not bright, in fact, the future is in trouble. I have said it on several occasions that a state of emergency should be declared in the health sector. Our health system is a dead horse, no matter how much you flog it, for now, it won’t wake up in the future. We need a new horse, we need new concepts and workable policies. We don’t have reliable data that is why our planning and execution have been faulty. We depend on United State of America(USA), World Health Organisation(WHO) and United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) statistics sometimes to know what is wrong with us. Tell me how we can plan for the future when we do not know what we need?” Nigeria at the mercy of the white man’s initiative, we rely on foreign reports to be bailed out of situations but would the foreigners see what we ought to see by ourselves in our own country? Thus, the effect of the neo-colonialized Nigeria in the health care sector.
Young Nigerian Graduates are also at the mercy of the foreigners. A large number of young medical graduates are taking the British Licensing Medical exam that is administered by Professional and Linguistics Assessment Board (PLAB), in search of greener pastures. Doctor Quadri says, “Doctors especially the younger ones are leaving the country in batches now. The funniest thing is that some are even leaving to the countries that are lower in global ranking to Nigeria but with superb health care systems such as Trinidad and Tobago Dubai, Australia, United Kingdom, United States, Saudi Arabia, and Ghana”.
When those who are to seek for a great future in the health care sector do not see the future in the sector, then what are we to work with as Nigerians? Doctor Ridwan a medical practitioner in Ibadan says, “The future to an extent could be predicted by the present, should we continue like we are doing presently, then we can extrapolate what the future will be, nothing but the further deterioration of the present state”.
Photo credit: Premium Times
@litmusdigitalng We are not focusing on the bad side alone, but the need to improve the system persists. Also, it not only the rich ones that travels even the poor ones are victims even at their own displeasure ; the case of people with cancer ailment is a significant one. The bible verse is just a reminder that if we continue in this mediocrity, then the healthcare system might not see the light of the day.
Good article! The need for us to improve the health sector can not be overemphasized. Government has a lot to do in this regard!
However, let’s not see only the bad side. In fact, the people that seek medical attention abroad are the few elites that can afford it. Every other person are being treated here.
Lastly, I can’t seem to relate the opening verse of scripture with the rest of the article.
The story of the health sector is a similar stories of mismanagement and poor resource provision cum allotment, I always feel pained when I imagine what we can do and we are not even close to making attempt at doing such.
There just has to be a change in the right direction. #positivedisruption.