Medical laboratory scientists oppose against privatisation of public hospitals

IN the wake of on-going Public Private Partnership (PPP) plans embarked upon to manage public hospitals to efficiency, the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN) has condemned attempts to run public hospitals under such arrangements, saying it negates the rights of citizens to affordable healthcare system.

Briefing journalists in Abuja at a ceremony to commemorate World Biomedical Science Day, National President of the Association, Alhaji Toyosi Raheem, said that globally governments take responsibility for providing good and affordable health care services for their citizens, even as he urged the in-coming General Muhammed Buhari-led government to jettison the policy.

According to Raheem, although PPP seeks to raise the level of efficiency, it should not be encouraged in the health sector, especially in view of World Health Organization (WHO) charter which stipulates that quality health care must be easily accessible and affordable, among others to all citizens. He maintained that attempts to privatize public hospitals would only favour a few, especially management personnel who pencil down their cronies for patronage at exorbitant costs. He added that abdication of the responsibility to provide adequate healthcare services under the guise of PPP merely compounds the problems of the poor as it pushes health care service charges higher.

For instance, he noted that administering of CD-4 count (a marker for the viral load) treatment for Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) patients, costs over N10,000 in public hospitals where PPP is operational, whereas, if the government were to directly supervise the treatment through provision of re-agents and other equipment, it would cost below N1,000.

This, Raheem noted is so because government is already supported by PEPFAR funds to provide free treatment to HIV/AIDS patients. He added that all Nigeria needs to make the health sector self sustaining and vibrant is to appoint competent personnel to man the strategic sector

“PPP is a concept designed to enhance efficiency. But the health sector should not be privatized under any guise. It is part of the social responsibility of government to provide affordable and efficient health care. The whole idea of PPP we believe is meant to just exploit the masses. It would as well deplete public funds because you will now start to have a situation where prices are doubled just to make quick profits. And we say no to this. The In-coming government should ensure that this practice is discontinued in all out public hospitals,” he said.