While urging for investment in advanced technology in Nigeria’s health system, the NMA chairman says the sector is shaped by both hardware and software elements
By Stella-Maris Okwaranyia
Worried by the deteriorating health infrastructure in Nigeria, the Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, Lagos Branch has called on policy makers to immediately institute a functional and effective health system so as to improve the health indices of the country.
Speaking at a media briefing which focused on its forthcoming Annual General Meeting/Scientific Conference entitled: “Healthcare Workforce and Infrastructural Development in Nigeria: Setting the Agenda for the Next Political Dispensation”, the NMA Chairman, Dr Tajudeen Salau said Nigeria needs a health system that will deliver services to all people, when and where they needed them.
He explained that there is need for the next dispensation to provide a health system leadership, governance and accountability that will ensure safe quality healthy services that are sufficient, fairly distributed, competent, responsive and productive health workforce as well as functioning health information system.
Stating that NMA was committed to improving the quality of health among minorities and disadvantaged Nigerians, Salau commended President Mohammadu Buhari for signing the National Health Insurance Authority Act , adding that the act would guarantee universal health coverage for all Nigerians.
He said, “Health Systems are shaped by hardware and software elements. It is our expectation that the new dispensation will invest and deploy advanced technology through digitalisation of our health system operations. This will conserve funds with improved health outcomes.”
He also called on the government to provide the political will towards local production of vaccines for the COVID-19 and other infectious tropical diseases as Nigeria’s total reliance on foreign donations is no longer sustainable.
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Calling on the Lagos state government to accelerate the review of the state health reform law to stem quackery and improve patients’ outcomes, Salau assured that when the review is done it would be better for Lagosians as well as physicians.
Speaking on the theme, the NMA Chairman said the theme was informed by the prevailing mix of the demoralised human resources for health, brain drain and asphyxiated health institutions and infrastructures in the country.
In his reacting to questions on Monkeypox, the NMA Chairman who said although Nigeria has the capacity to detect and manage the disease, also explained that there is the need for the country to put necessary measures to prevent the spread of the virus.
Also speaking, the association Secretary, Dr Imeh Okon called on Nigerians and healthcare workers to observe high index of suspicion to avoid the spread of the virus and report any suspected rash.
