The chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr Saheed Babajide, has called for improvements in the Nigerian health sector.
Speaking on the state of healthcare in the country, he said the sector was still plagued by deep-rooted challenges despite repeated reforms and huge investments.
In his comment on the 65th Independence Anniversary of Nigeria on October 1, the medical practitioner said the system remains fragile and incapable of delivering equitable and quality services to Nigerians.
He noted that one of the greatest threats is the persistent brain drain, popularly referred to as the Japa syndrome, where doctors and other medical professionals leave in droves for better opportunities abroad.
Dr Babajide stressed that reversing the trend will require competitive remuneration, tax-free call duty allowances, strong welfare packages, continuous training and research support, infrastructure upgrades, and a more enabling work environment.
He also called for adequate funding, which he described healthcare financing as “grossly inadequate,” revealing that both federal and state governments currently dedicate only about 4–6 per cent of their annual budgets to health, far below the 15 per cent benchmark agreed upon by African leaders under the 2001 Abuja Declaration.
He also faulted the diversion of scarce resources into “elephant projects” that yield little or no benefit to the people.
The NMA chairman lamented the neglect of primary healthcare facilities, warning that without a functional base system, secondary and tertiary institutions will remain underdeveloped.
According to him, poor infrastructure, obsolete equipment, and insufficient facilities make the sector unattractive for practitioners and unsafe for patients.
He expressed concern that Nigeria is ill-prepared for public health emergencies, epidemics, or disasters, while medical tourism continues to drain national resources because of a lack of political will to transform domestic healthcare delivery.
Dr Babajide recommended that there was need to upgrade and standardise primary, secondary, and tertiary health systems, adding that there should be adequate healthcare financing with prudent management, transparent procurement, and regular auditing.
The body also sought career progression paths for healthcare workers and the appointment of competent professionals as institutional leaders.
Others include the establishment of Infectious Disease Hospitals, IDHs, and trauma centres in every state and the Federal Capital Territory; development of multi-specialty hospitals for paediatrics, renal care, cardiac treatment, oncology, and neurosurgery; and strengthening the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to expand coverage and improve service delivery.
Dr Babajide maintained that unless urgent reforms are implemented, Nigeria risks further deterioration of its healthcare system, with dire consequences for both citizens and the economy.