(http://fmi.gov.ng/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/nursing-week-300x150.jpg) Inadequate funding of health care services in Nigeria has been identified as one of the major obstacles militating against development in the health sector of the Nigerian economy. Making this observation was the National President of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Abdrafiu Alani Adeniji at a press conference to commemorate the 2013 International Nurses Week held at the International Conference Centre of the University of Ibadan, Ibadan.
While speaking at the press conference, Abdrafiu Adeniji stated that the resources allocated to healthcare services at the federal, state and local government levels are grossly inadequate and lower than the internationally accepted percentage of the nation's wealth saying this has resulted in the worn-out state of health institutions nationwide. Other problems highlighted were imbalance in healthcare policy formulation and execution which according to him has caused stunted growth in healthcare services.
He added that while one group of health workers are being over-pampered and over-indulged, others are being neglected and maltreated. This, according to him has played a huge part in destroying the team spirit in the multi-disciplinary health sector.
The President of NANNM expressed appreciation to the Federal Government over the National Midwives Service Scheme, noting that it has impacted positively. He also called on the federal, state and local governments to do more to sustain the service scheme as well as other schemes like the Sure-P to further reduce the nation's maternal mortality rate. He however, frowned at the appointment of medical doctors as the only professionals who can handle the position of the Minister of Health in Nigeria, saying that the practice ought to discontinue immediately.
He said, "The Nigerian Government must adopt world best practices where merits are used and not a neo-colonialist idea of making appointments a birth-right. President Goodluck Jonathan should not succumb to cheap blackmail from the group of professional imperialists who are holding Nigeria's health system to spell, ransom and hostage".
The Association further advised that the report of the Justice Abdullahi Gusau-led Presidential Committee on harmony in the healthcare sector should not be discarded, but must be allowed to see the light of the day through full implementation.
Via: Federal Ministry of Information (FMI) Nigeria