A former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday expressed concern over the continued underfunding of the nation’s health sector.
Obasanjo, who observed that Nigeria has one of the worst health indices globally, said poor budgetary provisions in the country had encouraged medical tourism.
He spoke during the launch/endowment for the proposed University of Medicine and Medical Sciences belonging to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Idi-Aba, Abeokuta.
The event, which was held at the new site of the project in Ajebo, near Abeokuta, was supported by the Ogun State government which announced a N50 million donation for the university.
Former World Court jurist, Prince Bola Ajibola (SAN), Ogun State House of Assembly Speaker, Suraj Adekunbi, Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, Osile of Oke Ona Egba, Oba Adedapo Tejuoso, and representatives of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, and the FMC Medical Director, Professor Adewale Musa-Olomu, were in attendance.
Obasanjo, in his remarks, bemoaned the annual allocation to the health sector by government, noting that huge chunk of such funds were often expended on personnel salaries and emolument.
According to him, Nigeria’s spending on health was below the recommendations of both the World Health Organisation (WHO) and African Union (AU).
The former president disclosed that the poor state of health has made Nigeria to lose about N175 billion annually on medical tourism.
He said, “By the end of this Year (2018) the cumulative budget of the federal government spent for 10 years would be N55.19 trillion. Of this amount, health has only been allocated N2.51 trillion, that is 4.55 percent; a percentage below the WHO 13 per cent and African Union 15 per cent recommendation.
“The entire unbudgeted N4.769 trillion would have boosted and improved the healthcare facility. Underfunding is therefore partly responsible for the fact that Nigeria has some of the worst health indices in the world.
“The consequences of our plight include the loss of almost N175 billion annually on medical tourism. This wasted fund is more than half of the health budget of N350.45 billion for 2018.”
Obasanjo also identified brain drain among health professionals as a major threat to the health sector in terms of service delivery, training and research.
By: Kunle Olayeni Abeokuta
New Telegraph News
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