The Archbishop, Metropolitan and Primate of All Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Henry Ndukuba, has called for urgent policy reforms to tackle institutional decay and ensure accountability in health facilities nationwide.
Speaking at the Church’s second Health Summit in Abuja, themed “Health Prosperity for All: Getting Things Done Rightly”, Ndukuba lamented that corruption, negligence and mediocrity have crippled Nigeria’s healthcare system, leaving many unable to afford quality care while the wealthy turn to medical tourism.
He warned that the rising health burden and neglect of the poor and vulnerable demand urgent intervention, noting that the church must be more than a government partner; it must become a trusted alternative for quality healthcare.
“The poor state of our facilities offers the church an opportunity for compassionate ministry. However, the statistics of Anglican-owned facilities are discouraging. We need a comprehensive survey to harness resources and tackle these challenges,” he said.
Ndukuba urged the church to invest in pharmaceutical production, research laboratories, and training of health professionals, noting that, unlike the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), the Anglican Church remains absent in the pharmaceutical sector.
He also called for action to establish a Church of Nigeria Health Maintenance Organisation (HMO) and set clear policies, standards and quality control measures for mission-driven healthcare.
Recalling the pioneering role of Christian missions, he noted that the Church Missionary Society (CMS) opened Nigeria’s first mission station in Badagry in 1842 and a dispensary in Abeokuta in 1846.
Former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and summit chairperson, Ms Amal Pepple, said Nigeria still ranks among nations with the worst health indices due to unaffordable, inequitable and inefficient services. She highlighted a shortage of affordable drugs and brain drain among skilled professionals.
“It is paradoxical that while Nigeria produces some of Africa’s best health professionals, they are unavailable to attend to our sick because they seek better pay and facilities elsewhere,” she said, commending President Bola Tinubu’s Executive Order removing tariffs, duties and Value Added Tax (VAT) on imported pharmaceuticals to lower costs and boost local production.
She urged church members involved in the drug trade to shun fake and adulterated medicines and recalled CMS’s establishment of the Iyien Ogidi Mission Hospital in 1866, now a teaching hospital conducting specialised treatments and research.
Chairman of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe, praised the Church’s HMO plan and promised support, stressing that over 70 per cent of Nigerians still pay out-of-pocket for care. He urged all citizens to embrace mandatory health insurance to achieve Universal Health Coverage.
Dr Tochi Okwor of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) said faith-based organisations can mobilise healthy behaviours, counter misinformation, and offer compassionate care.
She pledged NCDC’s commitment to partner with the church in strengthening health security, promoting infection prevention, combating antimicrobial resistance, and improving outbreak preparedness.
