Medical practitioner calls for increased investments in healthcare delivery

A General Practitioner, Dr Olukayode Akinlade, on Wednesday, called for increased investments in the nation’s healthcare delivery service so as to always save lives.

Akinlade made this call at an Ordinary General Meeting and Scientific Conference, organised by the Association of Resident Doctors, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting had as its theme, “Health on Next Level Agenda.”

Akinlade, who is also the Medical Director of a Lagos-based private hospital, Krown Hospital, Alimosho, said: “More investments or financing in healthcare and services will strengthen the health system.

“It will also generate wealth and add value to our socioeconomic growth as a nation.

“Against the backdrop of the pathetic state of Nigeria’s health system, it is expected that any functional healthcare financing system must have the following key elements; affordability and accessibility.

“Others include efficiency, equity, comprehensiveness, political acceptability, sustainability and accountability’’.

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He said the creation of an enabling environment for the increased private sector and community involvement in service provision and finance were key factors for an improved health system.

According to him, the public sector has a crucial role in ensuring equity and access to good quality medications for those in greatest need.

“Low -income areas, rural and remote areas are not usually attractive propositions for profit-making enterprises without significant public sector incentives.

“A possible strategy for this is the accreditation of private healthcare providers to serve patients in communities, who will depend on the public sector through a public-private partnership.

“Government should evolve ways of having the private sector as partners for the overall benefit of all Nigerians.

“Invite reputable professionals and bodies to operate within public health institutions in providing diagnostic and other services that will add value to our healthcare delivery processes,” Akinlade said.

Also, the National President, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Prof. Francis Faduyile, said taking the health sector to the next level would require a robust primary healthcare system, where most people would benefit the most.

Faduyile urged governments at all levels to put more emphasis on the PHCs and ensure that the centres had a full complement of staff in place.

“We do not need big equipment at that level; the minimum we need is the blood pressure kits; tests for malaria.

“Also, the PHCs should be where we can give immunisation, proper education, and do advocacy.

“It is also important that the next level should be a way in which we increase the funding for health; the government should ensure that the National Health Insurance Scheme is mandatory.

“We can cover the formal sector and we will have funds to improve and treat, and people will not be under pressure to pay out of pocket,” Faduyile said.

In his remarks, Dr Fatai Balogun, ARD president, said the theme was a product of thoughtful consideration of the state of the health system and the birth of a new regime in the country.

“The theme is aimed at setting an agenda for the health system in Nigeria.

“We have new sets of governance both in the federal and state levels; we think this is the appropriate time to let the government know what the challenges are in the health sector,’’ Balogun said.