HEWAN Commends Buhari on Appointment of Health Ministers

President Muhamadu Buhari

Mmembers of the Health Writers Association of Nigeria, (HEWAN), has commended  the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari on the appointment of Health Professional as Health Ministers.

The Health Writers Association of Nigeria (HEWAN) is an umbrella body of all health/science reporters and editors (TV, RADIO, PRINT and Online), in Nigeria, registered first as members of The Nigeria Union of Journalists( NUJ).

In a statement jointly signed by the President and Secretary of the Association Chioma Obinna, and Lucy Osuizigbo, said “We, the members of the Health Writers Association of Nigeria, (HEWAN), received with a sense of fulfilment the news of the appointment of TWO health professionals as Ministers of Health by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari.”

HEWAN in the statement congratulated the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire and Minister of State For Health, Sen. Adeleke Mamora, believing that the appointment of the two medical professionals will impact the health sector positively.

“We believe that the appointment of two medical professionals into office will bring the needed change in the nation’s health sector,” HEWAN stated.

HEWAN who described the appointment as putting the right peg in the right hole applauded President Buhari for keeping faith with his promise to ensure that the right people are appointed for a better Nigeria.

“Today, there is no gainsaying the fact that the task of a minister of health is a difficult one following the myriads of challenges bedeviling the sector, ranging from poor funding, huge disease burden, population explosion, poverty and high maternal mortality, among others.

“However, as stakeholders in the Nigerian health sector, we are very constrained to state that the newly appointed ministers understand the system, the challenges and bottlenecks – as one of them worked closely with his predecessor, Prof.  Isaac Adewole, the immediate past minister.

“Though you have promised to overhaul the secondary and tertiary health institutions in the country to reduce medical tourism upon your appointment, we, members of HEWAN having carefully covered the health sector for many years, we are worried that critical steps are needed in the sector to ensure better health services for our people,” HEWAN said in her statement.

HEWAN, having carefully examined the sector, recommended seven areas for the Ministers’ urgent attention:

1. Implementation of Primary Health Care Policies/ Adequate Funding of PHCs: The disease burden will drop drastically if the challenges affecting primary healthcare are addressed properly.  It is in the interest of the nation for the ministers to rejig our PHCs to make them viable.  It is also pertinent for the ministers to continue with the 10,000 primary health centres project across the country.

2. Subsidised Healthcare Services for the Elderly: There is an urgent need to put in place measures to address the healthcare needs of the elderly and retirees in the country, because old age comes with some unavoidable associated ailments of which they cannot afford to manage on their own.
3. Medical Negligence and Misdiagnosis: The country is in dire need of effective medical laboratory services. Many of the national laboratory facilities have gone moribund. For instance the Vaccine Labiratory in Lagos. There is a need to revitalised these facilities for better treatment outcomes as medical laboratory remains the bedrock of medical treatment.

4. Maternal and Child Mortality and Morbidity: There is the need for improved efforts to reduce maternal and child mortality and morbidity, which has continued to be on the increase. Also, there is the need to investigate and prosecute cases of negligence in the hospitals to serve as deterrent and build confidence in the health system.
5. End Rivalry Among Health Workers: The association believes that paying attention to the inter-professional rivalry in the public health sector should be among the first steps by the new health minister.  There should be zero tolerance for discord in the sector. JOHESU, a body of health workers apart from doctors, has been on a warpath with the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) over the years especially because doctors opposed most of their welfare demands.  As a matter of necessity without prejudice, the age-long inter- and intra-professional rivalries, discord, acrimony, and crisis that have always thrown the Nigerian Health Sector into unending and perennial discord should be tackled. This has always been described in some quarters as “irreconcilable differences” and “cold war.” What this has brought to the Health Sector is retrogression, stagnation, motion without movement, etc. It has eroded patient-centred practices, especially openly demonstrated in Public Health Institutions.  This has gone unabated for years. Patients have suffered the consequences in no small way. This has greatly led to the loss of confidence in our Health Sector too.

6. Increase Budgetary Allocation to Health Sector to End Brain Drain: A 2017 poll by the Nigerian Polling Organisation (NOI) found that over 90 per cent of medical doctors in the country intends to seek employment opportunities abroad because of low job satisfaction, poor remuneration and high deductibles from their salaries.
7. Make NHIS Functional and Health Insurance Mandatory: Based on available evidence, HEWAN believes that Nigeria cannot achieve Universal Health Coverage if health insurance remains optional.

It stated that Millions of Nigerians continue to face health challenges because they cannot afford quality care, adding that Health insurance has largely been ineffective in the country.

HEWAN stated that despite billions spent on the NHIS since 2005 when it took off, millions of Nigerians still lack access to quality healthcare and therefore advocated for a functional scheme that brings about Universal Health Coverage.