NMA, Health reform coalition urge FG to reverse Nigeria’s poor health indices

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and the Health Sector Reform Coalition (HSRC) have urged the Federal Government to take decisive steps towards reversing the nation’s poor health indices as the situation will continue to embarrass the country before the comity of nations for years to come except right steps are taken.
 
The coalition warned that talks about Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) of the present government would just be an empty noise, if no serious attention is paid to improving the health of Nigerians.

Meanwhile, about 120 Nigerian doctors and dentists left the country in May, 2018 for greener pastures overseas, as Zamfara state in two months lost more than 20 doctors in her employment despite the acute shortage of human resources for health in that state.

He said, “Without the full implementation of the 2014 National Health Act, Nigeria’s health sector and services will remain in the doldrums.

Nigerians need an effective, efficient, available, equitable, affordable, culturally acceptable and accountable healthcare delivered as at when needed and in a courteous manner.
 
“Nigeria is no longer in need of legislations or policy instruments to have an accountable and acceptable healthcare delivery in Nigeria,” he added.

In his address, FCT Chairman of NMA, Dr. Chiedozie Achonwa said that NMA has a critical role to play in reversing the poor health indices in the country, adding that the association has trained over 100 health workers from 100 Primary Health Centres in FCT on neo-natal resuscitation as part of the associations’ intervention towards reducing infant mortality in FCT.