Ripplesmetrics: Data shows a dying health condition in Nigeria

Following the diphtheria outbreak at King’s College, Lagos, which resulted in the death of a 12 -year -old student and several other hospitals, the House of Representatives urged the Federal Government to start a national vaccination campaign that was urgent in schools.

On September 28, 2023, this disease claimed 471 lives, with more than 7,400 confirmed cases and 12,000 alleged cases. In addition, some cases of meningitis have been reported in Sokoto and Kebbi, which caused further death.

This health crisis has turned on concerns about the state of the Nigerian health care system and urgent needs to overcome challenges that contribute to critical gaps in medical responses and disease prevention.

Report findings from the Nigerian Medical and Gigi Council (MDCN) and the National Statistics Bureau (NBS) highlighted significant differences in access to health care between regions, increasing concerns about the country’s health care system.

For example, Pandemi Covid-19 expressed great vulnerability in the Nigerian health care system, many of which survived at this time. After the crisis, there was an increase in medical professional exodus who was looking for better opportunities abroad. This brain drainage is increasingly suppressing the ratio of doctors-to-patient, making many hospitals lack staff and burdened.

In addition, Pandemic disrupts the supply chain, worsening the distribution of important drugs that are fragile. Many main health care centers, especially in rural areas, continue to fight with critical drug stock. Recovery that is slow from the economic impact of Covid-19 also means limited government funding for improving health care, delaying the necessary reforms.

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The report underlined significant health differences throughout Nigeria, especially in the northern and rural areas. Uneven medical professional distribution and limited access to essential medicines cause critical challenges for providing health care.

Medical doctor distribution

With a total of 44,052 medical doctors in Nigeria, the southwest geopolitical zone leads with 13,624 doctors, followed by north-middle (8,754) and south-south (7,868). Southeast has 6,426 doctors, while northwest and northeast have the lowest numbers respectively at 4,960 and 2,420.

At the state level, Lagos has the highest number of medical doctors in 7,385, followed by the Federal Capital Region (FCT) with 4,453 and Rivers State with 2,194. Other countries with a number of doctors including Enugu (2,070), Oyo (1,996), and Edo (1,777). Conversely, countries such as Taraba (201), Jigawa (255), and Zamfara (267) are the most unreals served in terms of medical personnel.

A significant difference in the distribution of medical doctor highlights ongoing challenges to maintain health professionals in less urban areas, further worsening the shortage of medical personnel in the northern and rural states.

Availability of Essential Medicines

Separate reports from the National Health Facility Survey (NHFS) presents an alarming picture of access to important medicines in all Nigerian main health facilities. Southeast has the highest percentage of facilities filled with important drugs (44.9%), followed by north-middle (38.8%) and south-south (37.2%). West West was established at 33.8%, while northwest (30.1%) and northeast (25.4%) have the lowest availability.

At the state level, IMO (53%) leads in the availability of essential drugs in primary health care facilities, followed by Delta (52.7%), FCT (52.2%), and Ogun (51.5%). Meanwhile, countries such as Kebbi (15.8%), Osun (19%), and Taraba (21.4%) report the lowest availability, increasing concerns about the ability of health care facilities in this field to meet basic medical needs.

By: James Odunayo

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