Health Reforms Committee: Self Indictment On Buhari

There is no argument that Nigeria’s Health Sector is in shambles. That reality is not debatable. The fact that political office holders will rather fly abroad to treat malaria and fever than patronise even the best health institutions is enough proof of the nation’s collapse health sector.

What is also not debatable is what a self-indictment it is for President Mohammadu Buhari, to believe the solution to reviving our hospitals and health policies can be found in the setting up of a Health Reform Committee which he recently appointed to be headed by his Vice.

The collapse of the nation’s health is variously manifested in frequent doctors’ strikes, medical brain drain, ill-equipped hospitals, extortions in the hospitals, and general lack of confidence in our health institutions among other challenges.

Any government which believes these profound challenges are caused by inadequate or ineffective policies is a blind, failed leadership. Any expert who sold the dummy to the President that reforms are what it will take to lift the health sector from the doldrums is either a deceiver or a charlatan.

The problem with Nigeria’s health sector is the lack of regard for lay down policies, attitudes induced by extreme corruption. This is the state of affairs that had made past reforms failed to materialise.

So, of what value is a medical reform committee to Nigeria today? The reforms we need, even a layman on the street knows without brain cracking. Our moribund medical facilities need an upgrade. We need to build modern medical infrastructures.

Nigeria has teeming, competent medical doctors and other health workers who need befitting pay medical packages in response to the spiraling information. A situation where majority uninformed politicians hijack public offices and enjoy bloated salaries and fringe benefits while rigorously trained medicals doctors beg for meagre salaries is a misnomer.

We need healthcare accessible to the poorest of the poor. We need a government that is responsive to implementing pass reforms. These are the challenges. The health administration plans are already there to be implemented. All that is needed are disciplined persons to implement them to the letter with sincerity of purpose. 

The country doesn’t need a committee to revive the nation’s health sector. Nigeria does not need a presidential committee to improve on the salaries of medical practitioners?

So, Buhari, should listen to this voice of reasoning and abort the health reforms committee of cheap politics he wants to play.

It has no value for the common good.

Zik Gbemre is a Warri, Delta State based social justice crusader.

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