A former Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, has advised President Bola Tinubu to consider the Obasanjo report on the Health Agenda for Nigeria, as well as that of former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo Health Sector Reform Committee, while taking steps to revamp the health sector.
He gave the advice in Lagos in his keynote address at the May Ordinary General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors.
The ex-minister who was represented by the Medical Director, Federal Medical Center, Ebute-Metta, Dr. Adedamola Dada, said there was a need to set up a high-powered panel to review the two reports and generate an action plan for Tinubu’s administration in the health sector.
The keynote address, which was themed, ‘Redefining Healthcare Priority in Nigeria, An Agenda for the Tinubu Administration’, identified one of the issues before the president as health sector underperformance.
He said other issues include poor funding, brain drain, lack of involvement of states and local governments in health system financing and administration, inter and intra-professional rivalry, and incessant strikes.
He said that the reports had six components that bothered on health governance, leadership and institutional reforms, as well as human resources for health.
Prof. Adewole highlighted other components to include health financing systems reforms, health service delivery and redesign, health infrastructure upgrades, pharmaceutical supply chain, research and development and pandemic preparedness, response and emerging challenges in public health governance.
The ex-minister identified the next steps to be looked into as health system under-performing, poor funding, adding, “Japa” syndrome, lack of involvement of state and local government in healthcare services, inter-professional rivalry and incessant strikes in the system.”
(NAN)
