Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, has explained that
primary and secondary health care system in Nigeria has collapsed,
saying that the situation was putting pressure on Teaching Hospitals.
He stated this at an interactive session with the Senate on conditions of Teaching Hospitals in Nigeria on Tuesday.
The Health Minister appeared at the invitation of the Senate.
In his opening remark, Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki expressed
concern over poor health care services rendered at the Teaching
Hospitals in Nigeria.
He said, the Parliament consciously appropriated enough funds to
Teaching Hospitals in the last four years despite the misinterpretation
of lawmakers’ action as padding.
“Based on powers conferred on me as the Senate President, and
following resolutions by the Senate to invite you, we like you to
explain the conditions of Nigeria’s Teaching Hospitals that operates
poorly despite enough funds appropriated. ”
In his further explanation, the Minister pointed out that Teaching
Hospitals are primarily designed to accept referrals from primary and
secondary hospitals.
He said, it was unfortunate that primary and secondary health care
centres were no longer functioning, noting that even minor sicknesses
were taken to Teaching Hospitals now.
“Teaching Hospitals are designed to accept referrals from Hospitals,
but over time, primary and secondary hospitals are no more. Minor
sicknesses like headache and malaria are taken to Teaching Hospitals
now.”
“Over the last couple of years, we have a challenge of infrastructure
with a bad foundation. Under Babangida administration, the then
Minister of Health, late Dr. Olukoye Ramsome Kuti was committed to
Primary Health system because it was close to the people.”
“Obasanjo administration which came later did little to advance the
Primary health care system. His government concentrated on Tertiary
Medicare.”
“Even media reports pointed that government has no business with
primary and secondary health care, and people began to go to University
Teaching Hospitals.”
The Minister commended the Senate for their intervention in
appropriating funds to the Health Ministry over time, stating that the
Ministry now accesses funds directly from CBN, a feat that has not
happened before in the country.
“With your intervention, money flows from the Central Bank to Primary
and Secondary Health Care through organised platform where States are
registered.”
Adewale expressed displeasure that some states are yet to register in order to access the funds.
“Unfortunately, about 14 States have not yet registered to access funds directly from the Central Bank yet.”
“It is not that services are epileptic and I appeal that states that
have abandon primary health care should consider health services at that
level
in order to reduce crowd at the Teaching Hospitals.”
The Minister stressed that some Teaching Hospitals in the country
were living up to expectations through management of their Internally
Generated Revenues.
“University of Uyo Teaching Hospital is a model of how Teaching
Hospitals should be. There is a new Chief Medical Director who did
wonderfully by linking the facility with the National grid.”
