In every functional society, healthcare is given priority due to its importance in the scheme of things. Quality healthcare is non-negotiable and must be made available for the wellbeing of the people.
Unfortunately, Nigerian leaders do not seem to care much about this because they can go on medical tourism to access the best healthcare services around the world, leaving citizens to manage what is left of the already deteriorated healthcare system.
In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, it became open the rot the health sector is suffering and the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and Secretary to the Government of Federation, Boss Mustapha, acknowledged he had no idea how deplorable the country’s entire healthcare infrastructure was until he was assigned to chair the nation’s Covid-19 Committee.
The SGF subsequently appeared before the National Assembly leadership and demanded legislation to rehabilitate the country’s health sector and prepare the nation for a possible upsurge of the spread of the pandemic.
One would have thought that the gesture would be taken seriously, not until President Muhammadu Buhari presented the 2021 budget on October 8, 2020. The breakdown of the budget is a clear indication that our leaders only pay lip-service to Nigerians as far as quality healthcare is concerned.
What is the quality of healthcare Nigerians are to expect when the 2021 budget only allocates a paltry ₦35.03 billion for basic healthcare in a country with over 200 million people. Meanwhile, the National Assembly (NASS), was allocated a whopping sum of ₦128 billion.
Also, the 2020 budget meant to cater to all the primary healthcare centres across the 774 local government areas in Nigeria was significantly reduced from ₦44.4 billion to ₦25.5 billion, a decrease of more than 42.5 per cent which stakeholders in the health sector condemned, describing it as a bad decision for the health sector.
The neglect Nigeria’s health sector suffers in the hands of our leaders is worrisome because at a time like this when the nation is in the middle of a pandemic – a global health crisis that even countries with advanced healthcare systems are struggling to deal with – one would expect that the government will carry out reforms in the health sector to address its peculiar challenges.
The conversation on Twitter:
Let's reduce cost of governance but NO. Peep how much was allocated to the National Assembly in the 2021 budget estimates.
•NNPC = 29.7bn
•NJC = N110bn
•UBEC = N70.05bn
•INEC = N40bn
•NASS = N128bn
•PCC = N5.2bn
•NHRC = N3bn
•Basic Health = N35.03bn#FGNBudget2021— Slimfit (@iSlimfit) October 8, 2020
Wow! NASS budget? Much much much more than basic health while d whole country is in d middle of a pandemic. Make I no shout sha bcos nothing go change, make person just do all he need to do to get money 4 dis country. No hope on d govt
— Razak (@razak_xls) October 8, 2020
During a pandemic, NASS budget for 469 members is 128bn while basic health for over 200 million people is 35.03bn ….. Wahala dey o
— Aduramigba (@Eronmonsele1) October 8, 2020
Help me explain to those that are even talking rubbish that NASS deserves that budget. They are the very problem of Nigeria.
— Abubakar Sadeeq (@Ghostsk6) October 8, 2020
Dead Country. No sensible nation with the interest of its people at heart will present such ridiculous budget, National Assembly gets more money than education and healthcare combined. New York's budget on education alone is more than the whole of Nigeria's budget.
— Emem 📚 🖋 (@EmemXavierAtat) October 8, 2020
We are not ready yet in this country…. A bunch of 409 cabals getting more allocation than Education and Health, and corner side projects from this ministries.
The next movement should be to:#ENDNASSoverbloatedspendings cos it's not sustainable. A budget of 13.08 trillion…— AYOD3JI (@vincyble) October 8, 2020
…heavily reliant on borrowings. It's not sustainable. Let the economic realities get across to this guys.
They do too little but get huge payment.— AYOD3JI (@vincyble) October 8, 2020
But their children will go to skools in countries dat gives priorities to health, education n security in their budgeting….we have criminals in agbada in NASS
— The Realest (@TheRealest993) October 8, 2020
This country is officially far from development any narrative to refute this is a joke. A huge turn around is really needed. We cannot continue like this and expect development.
— Jesutimilehin O. Akamo (@jo_akamo) October 8, 2020
Exactly. We are not ready yet… the system (constitution) is faulty and shaky. That's what we should be fighting and not the result of the faulty system. We can't continue patching it at an expensive cost.
— Temitayo mi daa (@bigtt76) October 8, 2020
The ironic is that the theme of the budget presentation by buhari is "economic recovery and resilience" 💀
— Damola the laptop plug 🙌 (@FABIANOFLAGOS) October 8, 2020
