Physician urges govts to invest in health sector
NAN-HG-2
Health
By Toba Ajayi
Ilorin, March 2, 2018 (NAN) Dr Femi Olagoke of University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) has called on government at all levels to invest more in the health sector.
Olagoke made the appeal in Ilorin on Friday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
He said that Nigerian healthcare facilities deserved more infrastructure, personnel and equipment to discourage Nigerians from medical tourism and enriching other countries.
The medical expert said that Nigerian leaders neglected the health sector since they started seeking alternative healthcare abroad rather than improving the facilities in the sector.
He added that most of the hospitals in the country have sub-standard medical equipment which had sent many Nigerians to their early graves.
He said that the neglect has also made people to lose confidence in Nigeria’s health centres, thereby preferring overseas treatment.
“It is not only personnel that is lacking in hospitals. We also lack basic health equipments that are necessary in most Nigerian hospitals.
“Some government hospitals are nothing to write home about because the leaders never care to invest in the sector anymore.
“In most of our hospitals, you cannot find ordinary syringe not to talk of a functioning generating set to work with when the power is off.
“Nobody cares to upgrade the medical facilities, which leaves only the average and poor people to use what is left of the hospitals.
“It is only here in Nigeria that you will see a clinic or health centre where there is no curtain for the window and no net to cover the window, thereby exposing patients to all sorts of cold and insects.
“Our leaders must wake up and do something quickly, because it is not everybody that can afford to seek medical help abroad,” said the expert.
He, however, called on the government to prioritise health sector and upgrade healthcare facilities to international standard to save lives.
“Health is wealth. Let the government and private individuals accept responsibility and invest in our hospitals.
“Government must learn to treat their medical personnel well to prevent them from running abroad for a better working condition,” Olagoke said. (NAN)
LEX/KOLE/MST
Edited by Remi Koleoso/Muhammad Suleiman Tola