If you have not been to hospitals in recent times [especially, private hospitals], you may not appreciate the subject matter of this Editorial, that is, the urgency for governments to resuscitate or increase investments in the health sector.
The high cost of healthcare presently, has partly been blamed for reported high mortality and morbidity rates in the country.
It has also been partly blamed for the rising ‘medical pilgrimage’ abroad on the part of a privileged few Nigerians.
The CBN through its governor, Olayemi Cardoso, recently disclosed that in the last 10 years, Nigerians spent a whooping sum of $40 billion on foreign medical trips.
Although that amount included those spent by Nigerians on education abroad.
Such startling statistics tends to raise posers as to whether governments’ at various levels have demonstrated the right commitment to positioning the health sector in the country.
The administration of Dr Achike Udenwa then as Imo governor invested reasonably in equipping government-owned hospitals including the
Teaching Hospital at Orlu, Imo State.
The succeeding Dr Ikedi Ohakim administration consolidated in terms of investments in Imo healthcare. The general hospitals functioned to serve health needs of Imolites.at that time.
It is difficult to say the same presently. While private medical facilities appear to have taken over the healthcare sector in Imo, the affordability or
cost of accessing healthcare in these private hospitals, has indeed gone out of the reach of the common man.
Nigeria Newspoint urges the present administration of Governor Hope Uzodinma to take a critical look at the Imo health sector and find immediate ways to make healthcare affordable to the people.
The general hospitals need to come back, and urgently too. Imo State must not have 27 general hospitals as proposed by the Rochas Okorocha administration. Each federal constituency can have on or two. The health centers should be equipped with adequate staffing.
More importantly, the Hospital Management Board, Imo State should be proactive. Government should check the activities of private hospitals or clinics.
Cost of healthcare should be reduced.
Nothing can more apt than this.