by Mina Ogbanga
Quality health care avoids wasting finances, time, equipment, and energy.
[READ: Mina Ogbanga: Free medical health scheme and the Nigerian poor (Y! FrontPage)]
The reasons for none implementation of free healthcare program across other states may not be far-fetched as it is a huge investment that requires careful planning. Even states that have adopted the scheme continue to adapt by the day and think innovatively towards its sustenance especially amidst budget constraints and especially where support partners or donors are not readily handy. The insurance system in Nigeria is not yet well-formed to establish itself as a safe landing for the states.
Should there not have been a scheme like these, mothers with peculiar ante natal challenges would have simply given up as Ceaserian Sections to many would not have been affordable. Yet today,we have tonnes of possible future presidents and leaders born to parents who are living to tell the thrilling story.
Sadly, it’s a tale of two cities, in many other states most of which DO NOT even have proper primary health care centers, loss of lives becomes unavoidable since resorting to local care provides no respite. While the really rich in those areas can wake and decide to travel abroad for medical support same cannot be said of the poor. It then becomes important for local public health efforts to attack these health disparities from two fronts, working both to connect patients with health resources including preventive healthcare, and to ensure the quality of medical care is equal to that of privately insured.
Though many patients still complain that appropriately branded drugs are not given, this is not enough to overshadow the zeal and commitment of the drivers.
The question thus still remains – can we ever have sustainable free medical care? Can the over 60 per cent of poor Nigerians ever get to enjoy quality healthcare at little or no cost? Can the nation sustain a productive and reliable workforce without contributing a fair share of its budget to quality healthcare delivery?Is Nigeria ready for a fully functional National health insurance scheme or are there alternative schemes that can bring healthcare to the doorsteps of all who need it? Next to education, and food (agriculture) good health if not even first, is a primary determinant of a growing Nation. Not all the big and confusing jargons of GDP and all sorts which the poor cannot relate to. We have as high a GDP as you have hungry people.
People want food on their table, health assurance and job sustainability, where these terminologies don’t bring them the confidence and trust gaps increases. That’s a discussion for another day.
Child born with contracture of the skil and thus no digits
Today, we look inwards and I urge every young person reading this to ask themselves how healthcare can get better so as to be armed with the appropriate tool to demand health rights from their state governments. Health, like it is said, is not the absence of sickness.
The Institute of Medicine has identified six aims of quality medical care:
1.SAFETY: Providers must ensure that the medical care intended to benefit their patients is not causing harm.
2.EffECTIVENESS: Medical treatments must be based on scientific knowledge, and must produce beneficial, measurable results.
3.PATIENT CENTERED: Care must be responsive to individual patient preferences, needs and values.
4.TIMELINESS: Patients requiring medical attention should have access to timely health care to avoid potentially harmful delays. Equally important is patient access to timely follow-up care.
5.EFFICIENCY: Quality health care avoids wasting finances, time, equipment, and energy.
6.EQUITABILITY: The quality of medical care must be consistent across patients of all genders, ethnicities, socioeconomic statuses, and other personal characteristics.
These can guide potential civil societies or youth groups to demand better health rights
Health centers should not be death centers. Quality healthcare should be accessible. Yet all these come with a price, do you think our governments are willing to pay that price? Let’s share your views.
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Mina Ogbanga is an ardent development activist with a strong passion for sustainable development in rural communities, institutional building and social performance.
A social entrepreneur par excellence, Mina has had over 20 years of development experience. A Post Graduate Alumni of Cambridge University UK, United Nations Training Institute, Alumni of Harvard Kennedy School Boston, US, LBS etc and a Doctoral Researcher in Nigeria,
Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.
