The Fate of a Health Sector, Whose President Is The Face Of Medical Tourism.

Since resumption of public office in 2015, the President of Nigeria has been publicly recorded to have left Nigeria for "health checkups", 12 times so far. This, is asides his various global travels. Interestingly, the Aso Rock clinic has received the Lions share, when compared to other facility health budget allocations. Yet his recent trip, said to last, 2 weeks, was on Tuesday, 30th March, 2021, just 2 days before the commencement of the nationwide strike, by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD). According to a statement issued by the NARD, on March 29, the reasons for this strike border majorly on, non-payment of medical interns for months, incomplete and delayed remuneration of resident doctors in Federal institutions, and demands for an upward review of hazard allowances and Covid-19 care incentives. All valid reasons for a strike. Yet, some persons, including the Nigerian Minister of Labour, believe that Nigerians, are overreacting. Are we, really?

When the Covid-19 pandemic hit the world aggressively last year (2020), one significant event that occurred, was the border closures. Never had anyone imagined, that such a time would come in this century, when world social economy would be affected, to the extent of crippling physical human interactions. Thanks to digital technology, the world was ironically united, bonded, closer, despite the miles of distance that physically separated us. With these highs, also came the lows, one being, the stack exposure of our weaknesses, and the health sector, which was the centre of attention in this period was not left out.

Everyone familiar with Nigeria, is not a stranger to our decayed (ing) health system. Yet, here we were, faced with a deadly pandemic. The cherry-on-top for most citizens? Their government leaders were stuck with them. The debate ensued, will they, now walk a mile, in our shoes? Or would they pretend to limp, wearing a similar, yet differently sized shoe? It would be a defining moment for many Nigerians and Sub Saharan Africans. To finally put to rest, the argument, that the lack of proactivity on the part of their leaders, was due to a lack of first hand awareness of the struggle, of the average citizen. Now here was a leveler, #Covid19. How have we fared?

The Nigerian healthcare sector is faced with great a many challenges. At the core of our issues is, underfunding, poor resource and health system management, unfavourable and unimplemented health policies. This is in addition to the endemic issue of poverty and illiteracy, plaguing our health system. Furthermore, the present administration has witnessed a significant rise in brain drain. Our healthcare workers are leaving the country in droves. The question shouldn't be "Why are they are leaving?", it should rather be, "What is there to stay back for?", "How can we retain them?". This dignified profession, responsible for saving lives, has saved any but the lives of our medics. The working environment is suboptimal, lacking in modern medical infrastructure, dominated by poorly managed facilities, and overtaken by insecurity and exposure to health hazards. To crown it all, there is a religiously poor and untimely remuneration of workers. These beg the questions, is medicine not a job? Are healthcare workers, robots?

These challenges and more, have led to the increasing popularity of medical tourism in Nigeria, with countries like India, UAE, USA and UK, leading as tourist destinations for healthcare. The clause however, is that this is a luxury, only available to people of a high social strata- our government leaders, inclusive. Other citizens, who are referred to medical centres outside Nigeria, have to resort to crowd funding. As I always say, the average Nigerian is one major illness away from poverty. As obvious as the challenge is, some people do not see it as a problem. One of such persons is Nigeria's current Minister of Labour, Dr. Chris Ngige. As ironical as it may sound, this formerly practicing medical doctor, was seen on National TV in 2019, boldly saying that Nigeria has surplus doctors and is unaffected by the brain drain. This was met with a backlash from the medical community, and the entire country at large. There was no apologies, or retraction. In 2020, same Minister interestingly cried, out to all healthcare workers, retired and active, to join forces to combat the viral pandemic, as Nigeria needed more hands on deck. This leaves one to wonder where the surplus had gone.

In all these, how far has our President gone in fulfilling his nine-point agenda, which includes reforming the healthcare sector?. If so much has been remarkably done in healthcare, as they say, why do our leaders travel abroad for treatment? Why is Nigeria not an attraction site for medical tourism and why are our healthcare workers in a hurry to leave? Last week (2nd April 2021), instead of a critical analysis of the situation, to reach a resolve, our Minister of Labour, again on National TV, threatened to sack all the resident Doctors who join the strike action. He went ahead to say in clear terms, that the government was doing Resident doctors a favour, by paying them, as opposed to the practice in the US and UK, where Residents pay to get into the programme. This misleading information has been fact-checked and refuted by the NMA. More embarrassing is the fact that the said Minister, Chris Ngige, is a medical doctor.

"The President of the FR of Nigeria has every right to go to abroad for second opinion", said Dr. Chris Ngige, in his Channels TV interview. Well, I might not know much, but here's one thing I know, if a bank CEO, boldly walks up to the counter of another local bank to deposit his life savings... that's a message, "My bank is not competent enough". The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 12 times so far, has publicly declared to the world, "I cannot entrust my health, in the hands of the Nigerian healthcare system". That in my opinion, is a shameless message, that his is a failed tenure in this regard.

A lot has been said and proposed, all we need is implementation, which boils down to political will. Are they willing?. To solve Nigeria's many problems, I propose our leaders adopt a proactive, rather than a reactive or defensive approach to matters arising. Listen to the needs of the people who entrusted you (maybe), with the right to lead. To my fellow citizens, a reminder that the victims are you and I, the citizens with the voter's card. Our leaders are not doing us a favour. Don't lose your voice, Don't sell your vote. The fate of Nigeria and our health sector, lies in your hands... my hands.