The Nation Newspaper

Category: Health

  • NHIA reviews progress on Health Insurance coverage

    NHIA reviews progress on Health Insurance coverage

    A significant progress has been made in expanding coverage and protecting Nigerians from catastrophic health costs, the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has announced.

    The progress was attained through strengthened nationwide implementation of the mandatory health insurance, the NHIA year-end review confirmed yesterday. The report was made available to newsmen in Abuja.

    The review highlighted key milestones achieved under ongoing reforms aimed at improving enrolment, service delivery and financial protection in the health sector.

    According to the report, the enforcement of mandatory health insurance has shifted more Nigerians from out-of-pocket payments for healthcare to organised prepayment through insurance.

    The report reads: “By the third quarter of 2025, more than 21 million Nigerians had been enrolled into health insurance through collaboration between NHIA, State Social Health Insurance Agencies and Health Maintenance Organisations.”

    The authority said a major turning-point came with the Presidential directive mandating health insurance for all Ministries, Departments and Agencies and requiring valid NHIA insurance certification for participation in public procurement and renewal of federal licences.

    “The measure is accelerating coverage among the formal sector, organised private sector and micro, small and medium-scale enterprises,” it said.

    READ ALSO: Timini Egbuson, Dakore lose father

    The report also highlighted equity programmes such as the NHIA Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care initiative, which ensures zero out-of-pocket payment for emergency maternal and newborn care, and the Fistula-Free Programme providing treatment for women with obstetric fistula.

    The authority said these initiatives were supporting the enrolment of vulnerable women and children into health insurance.

    NHIA further disclosed that the completion of a comprehensive actuarial evaluation in 2025 provided a scientific basis for reviewing provider payments.

    The review led to a 93 per cent increase in capitation rates and a 378 per cent rise in fee-for-service tariffs, aimed at improving service quality and sustainability.

    It noted that governance structures were strengthened with the inauguration of the NHIA Governing Council in 2025 to provide oversight and ensure alignment with national Universal Health Coverage objectives.

    It added that a national policy dialogue on healthcare financing was convened with key stakeholders to explore sustainable financing options and expand domestic funding for health.

    NHIA stated that the reforms aligned with the Federal Government’s broader health sector agenda aimed at reducing out-of-pocket spending, protecting citizens from financial hardship and improving access to quality health care.

  • SRA seeks sustained commitment to End HIV/AIDS in Nigeria

    SRA seeks sustained commitment to End HIV/AIDS in Nigeria

    …hails Fed Govt $200m Intervention Fund

    Safe-Revive Africa (SRA) has called on the government, communities, and development partners to sustain commitment towards ending HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, despite recent disruptions in international funding.

    The non-governmental organisation made the call in a statement by its President, Dr. Oluremi Olaleye.

    Dr Olaleye noted that funding uncertainties from international donors had exposed the fragility of Nigeria’s HIV response, stressing the need for a more sustainable, domestically driven approach.

    According to him, Nigeria has recorded significant progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS, with an estimated 1.9 million people living with the virus and an 87-98-95 performance on global treatment targets.

    He added that new HIV infections have declined by 46 per cent over the past decade, attributing the gains to the dedication of healthcare workers, the resilience of affected communities, and strong collaboration among government, civil society, and development partners.

    “As part of activities to commemorate the day, SRA hosted its 4th HIV/AIDS Sensitization Forum for Community Workers in Lagos, bringing together frontline workers who play a critical role in HIV prevention, treatment support, and community engagement. We identified three key priorities requiring urgent attention. We called for accelerated domestic resource mobilisation, commending the Federal Government’s $200 million intervention and urging sustained investment as Nigeria moves towards self-reliance in funding its HIV response,” he said.

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    Olaleye also stressed the need to eliminate stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV, noting that fear and misinformation continue to discourage many from accessing testing and treatment, despite advances in care.

    SRA, he said, advocated the adoption of innovative prevention tools, including long-acting injectable medications, to further reduce new infections, particularly among adolescent girls, young women, and other key populations.

    Reaffirming its commitment to health education and community empowerment, the organization said its sensitisation forums were designed to strengthen community ownership of the HIV response and address related public health challenges.

    Olaleye urged Nigerians to honour those lost to AIDS-related illnesses, celebrate the progress recorded so far, and recommit to achieving an AIDS-free Nigeria by 2030, stressing that with sustained commitment and collective action, the goal remains achievable.

  • New year resolutions: Nourishing your chakras (1)

    New year resolutions: Nourishing your chakras (1)

    Happy New Year, and welcome to another drawing board for new resolutions. I do not know what your New Year resolutions are. For mine, I am looking at action packed dietary and emotional nutrition. I am sure you, too, will find a great deal of benefits in them. We’ve come a long way with dietary nutrition. We know of proteins, carbohydrates, fats and oil, vitamins and their co-factors, free radicals and antioxidants, their conquerors, phenolic and polyphenolic compounds which prevent damage to cells, anti inflammatories, anti- tumour and apoptic agents which cause cancer cells to commit suicide and offer the hope for cancer conquest. However, many persons are not conversant with emotional nutrition. I will address it as broadly as I can in the second part of this column. I will give a few hints, nevertheless. Every seven years of each person’s existence on earth is meant for the acquisition of certain emotional capacities. These capacities open up the body to receive etheric energy nutrition from the Overself, that in- dwelling consistency which goes by different conceptions and names, one of which, for now, I shall call by its well known name… MIND OVER MATTER. I am not speaking Greek or Latin. When something in us is happy, all muscles in the body are relaxed. The body feels energetic, the skin fresh and the muscles flexible and buoyant. When that consistency is sad or sorrowful, all muscles in the body contract, the body ages rapidly and is de motivated and de energised. I will give some hints, as I suggested. The age groupings are 1-7; 8-14;15- 21; 22-28; 29-35; 36-42; and 43-49. In the Yoruba land of old, men took their 7-year-old sons out of the nests of their mothers to induct them into their own vocations, especially in farming and agriculture. That was after mothers would have enabled their children to achieve, through Love, the first capability which is GROUNDEDNESS on earth or self confidence. Any child who is not self confident in this age category may suffer from inferiority complex and carry this weakness or deformity over to the next agenda (8-15 years) which is about power relationships. Any person who suffers from groundedness deficits is likely, by the conceptions of emotional nutrition, to suffer from certain ailments in the lower spine, legs, feet and sciatic nerves all of which ground the physical body. Power relationships and the emotions they generate are believed to endanger organs in the pubis region, if they are negative emotions. The organs at risk here may include the uterus ( uterine fibroids, for example), fertility problems, prostate gland challenges etc. If the capacities for normal power relations, like groundedness, are not achieved at this age, the deficits would be carried over like “carry over” courses in a university up to the point in life when the deficits can be transformed into assets through the necessary skills acquisition. This is most probably why from the point of view of this class of medicine, pubis region ailments are wide spread today in a country such as Nigeria. I will stop the hints here today and progress to dietary nutrition which we are more conversant with as a reminder of what we did last year and may wish to do better this year.

    The brain

    When the brain is sagging, de energised or showing signs of depression, even when we are becoming forgetful, losing long term, mid term or short term memory, or when the brain lights up and, literally speaking, fails to go to bed at night, there is a legion of plant medicines we can rely upon to re balance it. Among them are Gingko Biloba, gotu kola, ashwagandah, magnesium, lecithin, melatonin, lemon balm, valerian root, passion flower, stinging nettle, oat straw, maritime pine bark and saffron.

    Sinuses

    When the sinuses are inflamed, blocking inhalation and exhalation, making us breathe in and out through the mouth, or when the nostrils are running because of bacteria or fungi or pollen or if there is a tendency towards asthma, we know we can support them by eating raw or perboiled orange peel, dropping warm onion juice or saline water into them and sniffing it up. Thanks to researchers, we now know that when such vicissitudes occur for longer than three months, causing inflammation and other damage, the power of anti bacterials may not suffice to subdue them and will have to rev up to anti fungals. Some of the other plant medicines we have found useful include eucalyptus, peppermint, ginger, thyme, turmeric, garlic, curcumin, horseradish, mullein, elecampane, bromelain (from pineapple), elder berry, gentian root and slippery elm. I duff my hat for orange peel because, even in asthma attacks, it brings a wonderful anti histamine armoury to the battle front.

    Read Also: New Year: First Lady urges Nigerians to choose peace, empathy, unity

    The eyes

    When vision is dimming, the alarm bells begin to ring non stop. There may be a thousand and one causes for failing vision. Enough blood may not be reaching the eyes. Along the way, some blood vessels may have become tender and leaky, leaking blood into the eye structure. Oxidative stress may be at play with lots of free radicals and not enough eye specific anti oxidants to quench them. The muscles may be growing weak from lack of exercise or adequate nurture. The collagen structure of the drainage system may be inflamed or breaking down or overgrowing and blocking fluid flow which may cause fluid back up at the back of the eye and impact the light sensitive retina. We are mindful that opinion is growing about whether this is caused by the eye itself or a new factor called type III diabetes. In this type of diabetes, insulin resistance by the cells at the back of the brain which control the eyes make it impossible for them to take up glucose for energy to work. So, they begin to wilt and age, and this begins to affect the eye in the socket. We are being informed that coconut oil in the diet may successfully confront this development by providing these cells with KETONES from fats which they prefer to moribund glucose. We are aware of several plant medicines which help vision health. One of the leaders is Marigold flower which perboiled and eaten with meals as salad and provides the eyes with wonderful antioxidants such as lutein, zeazanthin and asthazanthin. A long list of the others often include omega 3 fats, vitamin E, vitamin C, vitamin A, zinc, turmeric, castor oil, bilberry, Gingko Biloba, rutin, eyebright, aloe vera. Rutin strengthens blood vessels, thereby preventing leakages. Zinc is crucial because, without it, the eye cannot successfully use vitamin A, however plentiful the supply to it. Omega-3 is the natural form. Omega H-3 is man made. This differentiation is important also when going for vitamin E. This vitamin is known as tocopherol. The natural form, which is a lot more expensive, is D-ALPHA TOCOPHEROL. About 400 iu dosage daily is often adequate. DL-Alpha tocopherol is petroleum derived and is very cheap and requires about 1000iu dosage daily. Even then, the tocopherol should be mixed tocopherols, that is combining alpha, beta, gamma, delta, etc tocopherols and not just alpha tocopherol. This is a secret in vitamin E business which this column has been revealing for years to help users who prefer cheap plant medicines. You know what? there are also tocotrienols and it is better that they come mixed. What can be better than taking mixed tocopherols and mixed tocotrienols in one mixed action packed remedy? Guess what? You will find them are plenty in PALMFRUIT! We obtain them all when we perboil a handful of palm fruits in saline water and chew the flesh on a meal! It helped me a great deal recover at home during COVID 19 scourge!

    Gums and teeth

    When cavities develop with roaring pain and gum boils and inflammation pop up with roaring pain and make chewing impossible, living may seem dreadful. Many persons learnt too late that they were short on calcium. Even when they grudgingly take calcium , their choice which is CALCIUM CARBONATE, which is about the cheapest calcium brand and is not well absorbed in the intestine, forming a plastering on tissue wall like cement, that it is on the brick setting of the house, office or factory wall, for example. We may soon learn that much of the calcium has been deployed to alkalanising the blood as it tends towards acidosis through wrong diet and negative emotions, heavy on cooked food, animal meat and empty sugar . Even when the calcium re-inforcements come, we soon learn that we need one part of magnesium to one of it and one part of phosphorus as well. However, not many persons know of VITAMIN K2, which guides calcium to the bones and teeth, preventing depositing in soft tissues such as joints as in arthritis and spondylitis, or in the muscles, lens of the eyes or brain. The calcium family is a big one. We may soon learn it cannot work optimally without VITAMIN D3, which we may obtain from early morning and late afternoon sunshine falling on cholesterol deposits under the skin.

    Throat and stomach

    When the tide changes and stomach contents climb up the throat towards the mouth, rather than on a downward journey to the intestine, we realise we may have been food greedy. Prophet Mohammed ( May the Peace of Allah upon him, whenever he is), taught that only one third of the stomach be filled with food, another one third with fluid (ostensibly, digestive juices made in the stomach and the last third) with air. Air space is to make room for the gruel to fill in when the stomach hydrolises its contents. Greedy persons fill the stomach to its elastic limit and stop eating to avoid a burst. Thus, food may not digest well, stays longer in the bag and begins to ferment or decay, creating acids which damage the mucus lining and burn the skin beneath it. This is GASTRITIS. Ulcers may present with or without gastritis, and on ulcer sites may appear the notorious ulcer friendly bacteria, HELICOBACTER PYLORI. If the stomach acid touches the lower end of the throat ( oesophagus), the muscle gateway which prevents regurgitation, the lower oesophagal sphincter muscle, may be damaged, and the damage may cause oesophagistis ( inflammation), heartburn or even oesophagal cancer!. I’ve seen some persons with this type of cancer. Some cannot swallow even a drop of water, but surprisingly, saliva passes!. A hole is often made in the abdomen to the stomach and a plastic tube is run in through which they are fed liquified food. The throat may be surgically removed and replaced with a suitable part of the intestine. This means they would be denied the effective role in the digestive process of the lost portion of the intestine.This could mean serious nutritional deficiencies which may be ameliorated with sublingual nutrition. The problems are not done, as HALITOSIS may join with odour from the stomach finding its way to the mouth. Worse could it be if tooth decay or gum infections add their own odour.

    These challenges teach us to enrich our diets with anti-inflammatories and digestives such as Ginger, Turmeric, Curcumin, Basil, Fiber, anti-microbials such as Aloe Vera, Oregano, Pawpaw leaves, seeds and sap for their papain, demulcents such as slippery elm. Anti microbials such as liquid chlorophyll, Aloe vera , Grape Seed Extract and Golden Seal Root kill Helicobater Pylori. While it helps the mucus shield to regrow.

    The liver

    When the eyes, nails or skin are yellowing, we suspect troubles are brewing in the liver. Bigger the trouble may be if the problem is FATTY LIVER. The gall bladder must be looked after and freed of blockages in its outlet ducts. Hepaprotectives must adorn the liver to shield it from all toxins which must pass through it to be defused. Chief among them are MILK THISTLE, Jerusalem Artichoke, Dandelion Root, Golden seal root, carqueja, bitter leaf, bitter kola and proprietary blends, such as formulas as the Golden Six and Diatonic. Liquid Chlorophyll is a cleanser and strengthener. Lecithin is lithotropic and emulsifies cholesterol.

    The breasts

    When a man learns he has breast cancer, he thinks he is dreaming because many do not know men can develop cancer in their dimunitive breasts. Some women are more prone to it from the easy oxidation of fat content of the female breasts when there are anti oxidants shortfalls in these tissues. We are conversant with Omega 3 fatty acid defence, Vitamin C therapy, Alpha lipoic Acid protection, balancing of estrogen and progesterone hormones, balancing of Estradiol and estrone, the two most dangerous estrogens, against Estriol, the friendliest. We know of useful herbs like yarrow, lady’s mantle, chasteberry (Vitex), squaw vine, shepherd’s purse etc and , in Nigeria, prominent proprietaries like PHYTOESTROGENS, FEMALE FORMULA and GYNOMIL. The arsenal would be incomplete without zinc, Royal Jelly, Vitamin E and Vitamin A. Nowadays, women have learned to massage their breasts with nutritive oils such as those of frankincense (olibanum), olive oil and to eat for their breasts, which means avoidance of artificial sugars, poultry egg, poultry chicken, milk, margarine, butter, sun heated satchets and bottle water and monosodium glutamate, for example. Those eggs, chicken and cow’s milk and water, come with heavy loads of estrogen in animal feed and zeno-estrogens in the case of soft plastic water. What is the point in getting the liver to break estrogens down and in getting the intestine to not absorb them while the diet continues to stoke the fire, thus making a susceptible woman become or remain a heavy estrogens storage tank as it were. Beyond these factors, as we shall see in the second part of this article, emotional disturbances which makes a woman develop and sustain pathological hatred for a man is often the root cause of some breast cancer. The second article should also show how COLOUR GREEN may help as may energy gadgets.

    The intestine

    When some British doctors said more than 40 years ago that DEATH BEGINS SLOWLY BUT SURELY IN THE COLON, many persons thought they over spoke. Now, camera probes in colonoscopy display on screens for the patient to see how his or her colon has degenerated. Happily, too, the ever advancing knowledge of plant medicines now offer possibilities of reversals. A gentleman who gave me the nickname PAU D’ARCO was a beneficiary of this plant medicine. I must state, though, that Pau D’ARCO was one of the herb combinations which reversed his “occult” blood and saved his colon from cuts and sutures. Before he departed, pa S.K Oyeigbemo permitted that I cite his case in this column. He was a former General Manager of the then POST OFFICE SAVINGS BANK. He shared his experiences with persons who read this column and telephoned him. One of them is his friend, Pa Adeniji of Shagamu in his eighties, his son and Pa Oye Igbemo’s driver, who also lives in Shagamu. Several colonoscopies showed actively bleeding colon tissue which regular tests failed to pick because the blood came from far away in the colon and had changed form, for which reason it is called OCCULT BLOOD. Pa Oye Igbemo said one of his friends who had colon surgery for it did not “gather himself” until he passed, and he did not wish similar fate for himself. As will be shown in the second part of this article, the energy of yellow spectrum of the sun’s Ray’s may cure intestinal challenges such as this.

    Uterine fibroids, prostate

    When men and women turn up at their doctors nowadays, the talk of the day may no longer be hypertension, heart and circulation matters or of a stroke or the possibility, but of UTERINE FIBROIDS or of PROSTATE GLAND questions such as Benign prostate Hyperplasia(BPH or inflammation), prostate enlargement or prostate cancer.

    Like the breasts, uterine fibroids may clear up with a plant medicine war on a woman’s fiery estrogens which may have been harvests of dietary seeds long sown. These seeds may not be only estrogen and zeno estrogen fuel. Too much calcium and too little magnesium are being implicated nowadays. There is also the growing conception of obsessive longing to become a mother which a gross deficit of marriageable men does not support. If the emotional gap between longing and reality impacts uncushionable impact on the ego which is unresolved, the body may compensate the deep wish for pregnancy with a benign growth, fibroids, in the uterus, it is said.

    As for the prostate gland, the various outstanding causes of trouble are better understood today, although, as in the history of civilisation, there must still be a lot more to learn and to know. The possibility of COLOUR YELLOW and quantum energy helping out should be discussed in the next part of this column. Meanwhile, many men continue to enjoy reprieve from their urinary headaches, including the wearing on their bodies of the urine bag, such plant medicines as Omega 3 fats, zinc, saw palmetto berries, pygeum Africanum, small flowered willow herb, stinging nettle root , curcumin, bee pollen, ashwagandah and Black Peruvian macca.

  • Navigating faith and consent amid gaps in medical ethics

    Navigating faith and consent amid gaps in medical ethics

    By Chinyere Okoroafor

    When news of Aunty Esther’s death emerged, grief quickly gave way to widespread public unease. Her passing was not viewed merely as another cancer-related death, but as a stark reflection of Nigeria’s unresolved tensions between faith, medical practice, public trust, and personal autonomy.

    Aunty Esther, a Jehovah’s Witness, had attracted national attention after Nigerians donated more than N30 million to support her cancer treatment. The outpouring of goodwill soon turned into controversy when it became known that she declined a blood transfusion recommended by her doctors as a prerequisite for chemotherapy. That refusal ignited intense debate across social media and mainstream news platforms.

    Central to the public discourse were difficult questions: Can a patient refuse life-saving treatment while benefiting from publicly donated funds? Where does responsibility lie when personal beliefs influence medical outcomes that end in death? These questions resonated deeply because thousands of Nigerians were emotionally and financially invested in her recovery. According to the fundraiser, doctors presented two treatment options. The first involved a blood transfusion that would have enabled faster commencement of chemotherapy within available funds. The second avoided transfusion but was slower, more expensive, and carried higher medical risks. Aunty Esther chose the latter, citing her religious convictions.

    Under normal circumstances, such a decision would remain a private matter between patient, family, and healthcare providers. However, the public nature of the fundraising transformed a personal medical choice into a matter of collective concern, raising ethical questions about the boundaries of individual autonomy when treatment is supported by communal compassion. Medical ethics places patient autonomy at its core. Competent adults have the right to accept or refuse medical treatment, even where refusal may result in death. In Nigeria, healthcare professionals are both ethically and legally bound to respect informed consent.

    The National President of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), Dr. Casmir Ifeanyi, explained that no invasive medical intervention, including blood transfusion, can proceed without informed consent. “For any invasive treatment—whether surgery, radiation, amputation, or blood transfusion—informed consent is mandatory,” he said. “If a patient refuses consent, even in life-threatening situations, the healthcare provider is ethically protected.”

    Read Also: New Year: First Lady urges Nigerians to choose peace, empathy, unity

    He noted that consent is typically obtained in writing and, where patients are minors or incapacitated, from guardians or next of kin. Proceeding without consent exposes medical practitioners to serious ethical and legal violations, regardless of intent. Dr. Ifeanyi also emphasised that blood transfusion, while often life-saving, carries inherent risks, including cross-matching incompatibility and severe transfusion reactions that can, in rare cases, result in death. These risks partly explain why Jehovah’s Witnesses maintain their doctrinal refusal, based on scriptural interpretations concerning the sanctity of blood.

    For adherents of the faith, refusal of transfusion is rooted in religious doctrine rather than distrust of medical science. This belief, however, places healthcare providers in ethically constrained positions. “If informed consent is withheld, the practitioner cannot be charged with negligence for respecting that decision,” Dr. Ifeanyi said, while acknowledging the moral burden such outcomes impose. He observed that preventable deaths have occurred because of this belief and called for sustained engagement between faith communities and medical professionals. He further suggested that advances in medical knowledge and technology may warrant re-examination of rigid doctrinal positions where strict observance repeatedly results in loss of life.

    Reports that Aunty Esther faced possible disfellowship if she accepted a blood transfusion added further complexity. While Jehovah’s Witness doctrine emphasises voluntary adherence, scholars note that the fear of spiritual and social exclusion can exert powerful pressure on adherents, particularly during critical illness. There is no evidence that she was forcibly prevented from receiving treatment. However, the disclosure highlights how religious authority and communal expectations can influence medical decision-making, especially among vulnerable patients. In a society like Nigeria, where faith communities often provide emotional, social, and financial support, such influence can be profound.

    Public fundraising further complicated the ethical landscape. Some donors questioned why funds were solicited if a faster and less costly medical option was being declined. Others defended her right to uphold her beliefs irrespective of financial contributions. Although the fundraiser maintained transparency by providing updates and receipts, the backlash exposed a deeper discomfort. Donors were emotionally invested yet had no control over critical medical decisions. Nigeria currently lacks ethical guidelines or policy frameworks governing crowdfunded healthcare, leaving trust fragile when belief-based choices alter treatment outcomes.

    Aunty Esther’s case also underscores the gendered realities of illness in Nigeria. Women confronting severe disease often navigate medical decisions within overlapping layers of family authority, religious expectation, and economic dependence. Her openness about her illness humanised her struggle but also exposed her to intense public scrutiny, judgment, and hostility while she battled for survival.

    In countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States, competent adults have a legally recognised right to refuse medical treatment, including life-saving interventions like blood transfusions, provided they give informed consent. Hospitals respect these decisions and often develop alternative care plans, guided by ethics committees. For minors, courts may intervene to override parental refusal to protect a child’s life. By contrast, Nigeria lacks clear legal or policy guidance on belief-based treatment refusal, leaving patients, families, and healthcare professionals to navigate ethically complex situations with minimal institutional support.

    Aunty Esther’s death should not be reduced to a conflict between faith and medicine, nor viewed as an indictment of doctors, donors, or religion. Rather, it exposes systemic gaps in Nigeria’s healthcare, legal, and ethical frameworks. Dr. Casmir Ifeanyi stresses the urgent need for clear guidelines on faith-based treatment refusals, wider public education on cancer care and emergency interventions, and ethical standards for crowdfunded medical treatment. He emphasises that informed consent must be free from coercion. “While informed consent protects both patients and practitioners, it does not erase the moral weight of preventable loss,” he said.

    Ultimately, Aunty Esther was a woman making deeply personal choices within an imperfect system. Her death challenges Nigeria to reconcile respect for belief, protection of autonomy, and preservation of life—a task requiring policy, education, and honest national dialogue.

  • Why Most Health Resolutions Fail (1)

    Why Most Health Resolutions Fail (1)

    Every January, millions of Nigerians make the same promises to themselves: eat healthier, exercise more, lose weight, sleep better, manage stress, live longer. Gym memberships spike, fruit sellers see brisk business, and social media fills with declarations of “new me.” Yet by February, many of these resolutions have quietly collapsed.

    This annual pattern is often blamed on a lack of discipline or seriousness. In reality, most health resolutions fail not because Nigerians are lazy or unserious, but because the resolutions themselves are poorly designed for real life—especially within the economic, cultural, and healthcare constraints of Nigeria. Understanding why resolutions fail is the first step toward making meaningful health changes in 2026.

    At the core of most failed resolutions is a misunderstanding of how behaviour change works. Health improvement is not driven primarily by motivation. Motivation is emotional, temporary, and highly sensitive to stress, fatigue, and disappointment. What sustains behaviour is structure—systems that make healthy choices easier and unhealthy ones harder. Yet many resolutions are built entirely on motivation. “I will go to the gym five times a week.” “I will stop eating rice and swallow.” “I will wake up by 5 a.m. every day to jog.” These promises ignore the realities of traffic, work hours, power outages, insecurity, family responsibilities, and chronic stress that define daily life for most Nigerians. When reality inevitably intrudes, the resolution collapses, and guilt takes its place.

    Another major reason health resolutions fail is unrealistic goal-setting. Nigerians often adopt extreme targets influenced by social media trends, celebrity culture, or imported wellness advice that does not reflect local conditions. Detox diets, prolonged fasting, expensive supplements, and rigid exercise routines are promoted as shortcuts to health. But health does not improve in extremes. It improves incrementally. Research consistently shows that small, consistent changes sustained over time have far greater impact on weight, blood pressure, blood sugar, and mental health than dramatic short-term efforts.

    In Nigeria, where food prices are rising and time is scarce, extreme resolutions are not just unrealistic—they are counterproductive. Economic pressure is another silent killer of health resolutions. Many Nigerians are living with inflation-driven food insecurity, irregular income, and limited access to quality healthcare. Advising people to “eat healthier” without acknowledging cost realities sets them up for failure. Fresh fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains are more expensive than energy-dense processed foods. Long work hours reduce time for home cooking. Stress increases cravings for sugar and refined carbohydrates. In such conditions, health advice that ignores affordability and access feels disconnected from reality. Successful health resolutions must work within financial constraints, not pretend they do not exist.

    Cultural expectations also play a role. Food in Nigeria is deeply social. Declining meals at family gatherings, weddings, funerals, or religious events can be seen as rude or suspicious. Women, in particular, face pressure to cook and eat in ways that prioritise others over their own health needs. Men may view concern for diet or mental health as weakness. Health resolutions that do not account for these social dynamics are unlikely to survive sustained scrutiny or pressure.

    There is also the issue of delayed reward. Most unhealthy behaviours provide immediate pleasure—sweet drinks, fried food, late nights, inactivity—while the benefits of healthy behaviour are often invisible and long-term. You do not feel your blood pressure normalising or your arteries clearing. You feel hunger, inconvenience, or fatigue instead. When immediate discomfort outweighs delayed benefit, the brain naturally defaults to old habits. This is not a moral failure; it is human biology.

    Another overlooked factor is Nigeria’s crisis-driven relationship with healthcare. Many people only engage with the health system when they are already ill. Preventive care—routine check-ups, screenings, and early intervention—is rare. As a result, health resolutions are often reactive rather than preventive, driven by fear after a scare rather than by long-term planning. Fear, like motivation, fades quickly once the immediate threat seems distant.

    Read Also: 2026: Abiru urges Nigerians to consolidate reforms, back Tinubu for economic recovery

    So what distinguishes resolutions that work from those that fail? First, effective health change focuses on habits, not outcomes. “Lose 10 kilogrammes” is an outcome. “Walk for 20 minutes after dinner four days a week” is a habit. Outcomes are motivating at the start but unsustainable without habits to support them.

    Second, successful resolutions are specific and modest. Instead of “eat healthier,” aim for “add one vegetable to my main meal daily.” Instead of “exercise more,” aim for “use the stairs at work twice a day.” These changes may seem insignificant, but they compound over time. Third, health resolutions must be designed for bad days, not good ones. Anyone can eat well or exercise when life is calm. The real test is what happens during traffic jams, work stress, family emergencies, or financial strain. A resolution that collapses under stress is not resilient enough.

    Fourth, accountability matters. People are more likely to sustain health changes when they are visible to someone else—a friend, family member, support group, or healthcare provider. Silent, private resolutions are easier to abandon. Finally, health change requires compassion, not punishment. Many Nigerians approach resolutions with an all-or-nothing mindset. One missed workout or unhealthy meal becomes justification to abandon the entire effort. This perfectionism undermines progress.

    Health is not built by flawless weeks; it is built by recovery after setbacks. As 2026 begins, the most important resolution Nigerians can make is not to be more disciplined, but to be more realistic. Health improvement is not a January sprint; it is a long, uneven journey shaped by context, resources, and support. The question is not whether you can transform your life in one year. The question is whether you can make one or two changes that still exist by December.

    Throughout January 2026, this column will run a five-part series on New Year health resolutions—examining why they often fail, what evidence shows actually works, and how Nigerians can make realistic, sustainable changes to improve their health, well-being, and quality of life. Over the coming weeks, we will explore practical strategies for eating better, staying active, managing stress and sleep, and prioritising preventive care and screening. Each column will provide actionable tips tailored to the Nigerian context, helping readers turn their resolutions into lasting habits rather than short-lived promises. For now, the most important resolution is this: stop setting yourself up to fail. Wishing all our readers a 2026 filled with better health, greater happiness, and meaningful change!

  • How Nigeria is restoring confidence in its hospitals

    How Nigeria is restoring confidence in its hospitals

    Nigerians no longer have to travel abroad for lifesaving care. Local hospitals, clinics and specialist centres are delivering treatments that once required trips to London, Dubai, or India. With new funding, workforce reforms and local pharmaceutical production, patients are returning, confidence is rising, and advanced care is increasingly available at home. Nigeria is proving that quality healthcare can thrive within its own borders, writes DELE ANOFI

    For decades, Nigeria’s healthcare system was often measured against the world from afar—in airport lounges and foreign hospital corridors. It was a story of long journeys, drained savings, and quiet resignation that the best care lay beyond the nation’s borders. From London to India, Dubai to Egypt, Nigerians voted with their feet and their wallets, fuelling a multi-billion-naira medical tourism industry, even as local hospitals struggled to earn confidence, patronage, and trust.

    That exodus is now slowing. In its place, a different narrative is emerging—one marked not by despair, but by cautious optimism; not by flight, but by return. Across policy rooms, hospital wards, and community clinics, Nigeria’s healthcare reforms are beginning to restore belief in the system and, crucially, in the possibility that quality care can be found at home.

    At the heart of this shift is a combination of political will, financial commitment, and structural reform that is gradually changing both perception and reality. According to the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Ali Pate, recent data tells a story that would have seemed improbable only a few years ago. Figures released by the Central Bank of Nigeria show that foreign exchange spent by Nigerians on medical tourism has fallen by 52 percent since President Bola Tinubu assumed office. For a country that once haemorrhaged hundreds of billions of naira annually on healthcare abroad, this decline is more than a fiscal statistic. It signals returning confidence, as patients increasingly choose Nigerian hospitals, and the system slowly reclaims its relevance.

    The shift is visible not only in outbound numbers but also in the changing profile of patients. Nigerian hospitals are no longer serving only local residents. Increasingly, they are attracting inbound medical tourists, including patients from neighbouring African countries, who now see Nigeria as a destination for specialised care rather than a point of departure. This renewed confidence is reflected in perception surveys conducted between 2023 and 2025. Public confidence in Nigeria’s overall health system has risen to 55 percent. Trust in the government’s ability to manage health emergencies stands at 67 percent, while patient satisfaction with healthcare facilities has climbed to 74 percent. Modest as these numbers may seem in isolation, they represent a decisive break from years of public scepticism and institutional fatigue.

    Behind the statistics lies a deeper transformation, rooted in workforce reform, service delivery improvements, and renewed attention to the welfare of health professionals. For decades, Nigeria’s doctors, nurses, and allied health workers laboured under difficult conditions, sustained more by commitment than compensation. Promises accumulated, expectations grew, and frustration festered.

    Prof Pate has been candid in acknowledging this history. Generations of health workers woke before dawn and returned home late, driven by duty rather than adequate support. Successive administrations made efforts to improve conditions, but many commitments remained unresolved. As a result, expectations among professional bodies—including the Nigerian Medical Association, the Joint Health Sector Unions, and the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives—were often only partially met, or not met at all.

    This legacy shaped the Tinubu administration’s approach to healthcare reform. Rather than confrontation, it chose dialogue. Rather than episodic concessions, it pursued structured negotiation. Over the past two and a half years, the government has prioritised collective bargaining, sustained engagement, and incremental trust-building as the path to industrial harmony.

    The results are now visible. Despite isolated disruptions, the overwhelming majority of Nigeria’s health workforce continues to deliver care nationwide. Long-standing issues that had stalled for years are finally moving. One symbolic breakthrough was presidential approval to extend the retirement age of clinically skilled health workers from 60 to 65 years—a measure now progressing through statutory processes. Arrears under the 2023 Consolidated Medical Salary Structure have been cleared, health allowances across cadres are being processed, and more than 10 billion naira owed under the 2025 Medical Research and Training Fund has been fully settled.

    Other demands are being addressed through the collective bargaining agreement framework, with interim relief measures—such as on-call allowances—already in place. While not all legacy issues have been resolved, the trajectory is clear: the system is no longer frozen; it is moving. This progress is reflected most vividly in frontline facilities. In 2023, Basic Health Care Provision Fund facilities recorded an average of 10 million patient visits per quarter. By the second quarter of 2025, visits had surged to more than 40 million—a fourfold increase that underscores renewed trust at the community level.

    The surge has been supported by unprecedented expansion in funding. Federal health spending has risen by nearly 60 percent, with health’s share of national expenditure increasing from just over 3 percent to 5.2 percent. The Basic Health Care Provision Fund has grown from 131.5 billion naira in 2024 to nearly 299 billion naira projected by 2026. Additional plans include raising 150 billion naira for vaccine procurement, deploying health-focused taxes, expanding public-private partnerships, and rolling out ward-level health plans across all 8,809 wards in Nigeria’s 774 local government areas.

    These reforms are anchored within a broader vision outlined in the 2026–2050 National Development Plan. More than 500 high-impact projects are underway, spanning 13 tertiary institutions, six cancer centres of excellence, and 21 strategic policies. Digital health initiatives alone are projected to save 4.8 trillion naira annually by preventing avoidable diseases, while retaining an estimated 850 billion naira previously lost to medical tourism.

    The early outcomes of Nigeria’s healthcare reforms are already tangible. Maternal deaths have declined by 17 per cent across 172 high-burden local governments, while newborn deaths are down by 12 per cent. More than 15,000 health workers have been recruited, and 435 primary healthcare facilities have been revitalised. Access to skilled birth attendants has risen by 33 per cent, routine immunisation coverage for measles, yellow fever, and HPV has improved, and family planning uptake has increased by 10 percent.

    In primary healthcare alone, visits funded through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund rose from 10 million in early 2024 to 45 million by mid-2025. Each visit represents not just a patient, but a choice to stay, to trust, and to believe that care at home is possible. Parallel to service delivery reforms is a deliberate push to industrialise healthcare and reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imports. In the second half of the year, the government intensified partnerships with international development partners to strengthen local manufacturing capacity.

    One of the most significant milestones was the signing of a landmark memorandum of understanding with Brazil’s EMS to establish a World Health Organisation good manufacturing practice-compliant pharmaceutical plant in Nigeria. The facility is expected to create over 1,200 skilled jobs, produce affordable, high-quality medicines for more than 30 million Nigerians, cut import dependence, and position Nigeria as a regional exporter under a broader medical industrialisation drive.

    This effort is complemented by a two-year partnership with the European Union and UNICEF under the 6.3 million euro Enabling Local Manufacturing of Health, Immunisation and Nutrition Commodities in Nigeria initiative. With 5.5 million euros from the European Union and an additional 800,000 euros from Spain, the programme aims to strengthen manufacturing capacity, supply chains, regulatory systems, and technology transfer, reducing reliance on imported vaccines, medicines, and nutrition products.

    Nigeria has also signed a technical memorandum of understanding with the United States valued at about five billion dollars to deepen bilateral health cooperation. Covering April 2026 to December 2030, the agreement commits the United States to provide nearly two billion dollars in grant funding, while Nigeria pledges to allocate at least six percent of executed annual federal and state budgets to health. The commitment is expected to mobilise close to three billion dollars over five years and has already been factored into the proposed 2026 Appropriation.

    Malaria, one of Nigeria’s most persistent public health challenges, is receiving renewed attention. The launch of the country’s first dual active ingredient long-lasting insecticidal net manufacturing plant in Ogun State marks a turning point. Scheduled for completion in 2026, the facility will produce about 10 million nets annually, meeting roughly 30 percent of national demand. Facilitated by the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain in partnership with Switzerland’s Vestergaard and Nigeria’s Harvestfield Industries, the project is expected to create 600 skilled jobs and position Nigeria as a regional hub for health product manufacturing.

    Cancer care, long plagued by underinvestment and fragmentation, is also undergoing transformation. Since the establishment of the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment two years ago, cancer control has received sustained policy attention. For the first time in Nigeria’s history, a dedicated cancer control budget was approved in 2024. Twelve tertiary hospitals have been designated as cancer centres of excellence, with modern oncology equipment deployed across all geopolitical zones. Workforce training, cancer registries, digital reporting systems, and access to essential medicines are being strengthened through coordinated national strategies.

    The impact of these reforms is amplified by private sector-led specialist centres that are redefining what is possible within Nigeria. The African Medical Centre of Excellence in Abuja, a 350 million dollar facility, has emerged as a powerful symbol of the new era. Barely six months after opening, the centre performed its first open-heart surgery and delivered West Africa’s first stereotactic body radiation therapy for lung cancer.

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    These milestones have had immediate ripple effects. Nigerian patients have cancelled planned treatments in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Egypt to receive care locally. Referrals have come from South Africa and Ghana. Procedures that once required travel now cost about 3,000 dollars locally, compared to up to five times more abroad when travel and accommodation are included, with patients paying in naira.

    Within weeks, the centre completed more than ten interventional cardiac procedures, including angiography, stenting, and pacemaker implantation. In oncology, it recorded 130 new patients in three months, over 400 clinical encounters, 160 chemotherapy sessions planned for 27 patients, and 651 radiotherapy fractions scheduled for 31 patients. Palliative care accounted for 30 percent of cases. Beyond treatment, the centre is addressing health worker migration through skills transfer, with Nigerian professionals forming the majority of its workforce.

    Even environmental health, often overlooked, is receiving attention. The commissioning of Nigeria’s first polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) treatment facility in Abuja marks a major milestone in hazardous waste management. With plans underway to replicate the facility nationwide, Nigeria is strengthening its ability to protect public health, comply with international conventions, and create green jobs within a circular economy.

    Taken together, these reforms form a mosaic of renewal. No single policy explains the shift. It is the accumulation of decisions, investments, and trust-building measures that is gradually changing behaviour. Nigerians are staying. Some are returning. Others are arriving. The reversal of medical tourism is not yet complete. Challenges remain. But the direction is unmistakable. In hospitals once bypassed, lights are on again. In clinics once empty, queues are forming. In a system long defined by loss, confidence is being restored. For the first time in years, Nigeria’s healthcare story is no longer written abroad. It is being written at home.

  • Doctor advocates regenerative medicine to reverse brain drain in nation’s health sector

    Doctor advocates regenerative medicine to reverse brain drain in nation’s health sector

    A Nigerian-American physician and pioneer in regenerative medicine, Dr. David Ikudayisi, has said Nigeria can stem the persistent brain drain in its health sector and emerge as a hub for advanced medical care in Africa through deliberate investment in cutting-edge healthcare practices.

    Ikudayisi said the mass migration of medical professionals was not irreversible, noting that the right blend of policies, infrastructure and incentives could retain skilled practitioners while attracting international confidence in Nigeria’s healthcare system.

    In a statement made available to journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, he stressed that sustained investment in modern facilities, improved welfare for health workers and strong institutional support for specialised medical fields would significantly reduce the factors pushing doctors to seek opportunities abroad.

    “The solutions are not abstract,” he said. “Competitive remuneration, decent working conditions, access to modern equipment, continuous postgraduate training and credible incentives for research will keep our best hands at home. Health workers want to feel valued, supported and given room to grow.”

    Ikudayisi, Founder and Medical Director of Glory Wellness and Regenerative Centre, said migration pressures would ease if governments at all levels treated healthcare as a strategic sector critical to national development.

    Born in Ondo State and trained in Europe and the United States, Ikudayisi is a United States board-certified physician in internal medicine, with specialisations in regenerative medicine, geriatrics and pain management.

    He said his exposure to regenerative therapies began in Paris in 1995, while his full clinical practice took shape in the 2010s with the establishment of medical centres in the United States and later Nigeria.

    Explaining the concept, he described regenerative medicine as a major shift in global healthcare, moving beyond symptom management to the repair of damaged biological structures.

    “Regenerative medicine helps the body heal itself by restoring damaged cells, tissues and organs so that normal function can return,” he said.

    According to him, the field is now widely applied in orthopaedics and sports medicine, particularly in the treatment of arthritis, joint degeneration, ligament and tendon injuries, chronic wounds and pain-related conditions.

    Its applications, he added, are expanding into stroke recovery, diabetes-related complications and sexual dysfunction, with growing clinical evidence supporting its effectiveness.

    Ikudayisi said Nigeria no longer needed to rely on overseas treatment for such advanced care, noting that Glory Wellness and Regenerative Centre, originally founded in Florida, now operates in Lekki, Lagos, and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

    He explained that regenerative therapies could improve joint tissue health in arthritis patients, support stroke recovery by reducing harmful inflammation, enhance blood flow and wound healing in diabetics, and address sexual dysfunction through improved circulation, nerve recovery and tissue strength.

    Beyond patient care, he said the adoption of regenerative medicine would deliver long-term benefits to the health system, including reduced medical tourism, stronger medical infrastructure and the development of advanced skills such as cell processing and imaging-guided procedures.

    “If Nigeria builds credible regenerative centres with proper governance, transparent outcomes and ethical practices aligned with regulatory standards, we will not only retain talent but also attract patients from across Africa,” he said.

    Looking ahead, Ikudayisi said his vision was to make regenerative medicine accessible and affordable to ordinary Nigerians, driven by local doctors and scientists.

    “I envision a Nigeria where healthcare innovation is home-grown, sustainable and transformative, and where we export expertise and solutions to the rest of Africa,” he added.

  • Stakeholders sign pact to end female genital mutilation in Oyo

    Stakeholders sign pact to end female genital mutilation in Oyo

    Stakeholders including traditional rulers, religious leaders, representatives of government ministries and agencies, civil society organisations, professional bodies, women’s and youth groups, as well as development partners on Monday signed a pact to end the practice of Female Genital Mutilation and Cutting (FGM/C) in Oyo State.

    The agreement was reached at a high-level conference for traditional and religious leaders on transforming social norms and eliminating FGM to promote gender equality in the state.

    The conference, held at the Local Government Training School Hall, Oyo State Government Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, was convened by the Centre for Comprehensive Promotion of Reproductive Health (CCPRH) with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and in collaboration with relevant Oyo State institutions.

    The stakeholders said the decision was guided by shared cultural, spiritual and moral values that require the protection of the dignity, health and well-being of every child.

    In separate remarks, participants noted that FGM is not prescribed by any holy scripture and is recognised both internationally and nationally as a harmful practice and a violation of the rights of women and girls. They also referenced Nigeria’s commitment under Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5.3 to eliminate harmful practices, including FGM, as well as existing national and state laws prohibiting the practice.

    In his welcome address, the Executive Director of CCPRH, Prof. Oladosu Ojengbede, said the meeting was convened to acknowledge the encouraging decline in the prevalence of FGM in Oyo State, while also recognising that many girls and women remain at risk or have already been affected.

    Speaking on prevalence and trends, the Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology said available data indicate that although FGM is declining in Oyo State, the practice remains significant in some communities and local government areas within the state and beyond.

    He expressed concern that the practice is increasingly carried out at younger ages, often before girls are able to speak for themselves. He attributed the persistence of FGM to entrenched social norms, misconceptions about religion and morality, gender inequality and control over girls’ bodies, as well as economic and status-related factors linked to traditional roles.

    According to him, FGM causes serious health, psychological, social and spiritual harm and is prohibited by law. He added that the practice undermines education, economic opportunities and community development, while also contradicting the core values of faiths and cultural heritage.

    On the role of traditional and religious institutions, Prof. Ojengbede noted that traditional and religious leaders possess unique authority to shape beliefs, social expectations and community practices, stressing that their words and actions are critical to ending FGM within families and communities.

    The highlight of the event was the formal declaration of abandonment of FGM by the stakeholders, particularly traditional and religious leaders.

    A key outcome of the pact was the clear denunciation of the practice and a collective commitment to work with relevant government agencies to ensure the complete eradication of FGM by the 2030 deadline.

    “We agree to treat survivors of FGM with respect and compassion and to work with health and social services to facilitate access to care, counseling and support without stigma.

    “‘The traditional rulers, chiefs, rigorous leaders and custodians of indigenous faith in Oyo state commit to speaking clearly and consistently against FGM in sermons, teachings, Palace meetings, councils, ceremonies and public events.

    “We encourage communities to work toward the development and enforcement of community level rules and afreement that discourage FGM and support the protection of girls. We will actively collaborate with relevant Oyo state ministries, agencies, CCPRH, UNFPA and other partners in ensuring the elimination of FGM in Oyo state.

    “We commit to participating in multisectoral platforms, including state and LGA level taskforces to ensure regular dialigue, coordination and follow up on FGM elimination efforts.We will work with authorities and community structures to encourage safety and confidential reporting and to ensure that responses priotise prevention, protection and justice while avoiding a lions that drive the practice underground.

    “‘We support the integration of information on FGM, bodily integrity and gender equality into school based and community based education and life skills programmes”, the agreement reads in part.

  • Stakeholders call for review of Nigeria’s health insurance scheme

    Stakeholders call for review of Nigeria’s health insurance scheme

    Stakeholders have called for an urgent review of Nigeria’s health insurance scheme to curb avoidable deaths in hospitals caused by the cash-and-carry system of healthcare delivery.

    The call was made during a one-day free medical outreach jointly organised by the Mayor of Housing, My-ACE China, Meridian Hospitals and Pilgrims Health Foundation in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, as part of activities to give back to society during the Christmas season.

    Some stakeholders who spoke to journalists at the venue said the refusal or delay by hospitals to commence treatment due to lack of deposits has resulted in the death of many patients. 

    They attributed the situation to the failure of the country’s health insurance system, noting that similar schemes work effectively in less endowed countries.

    Corroborating these views, My-ACE China said his brief experience as a laboratory scientist exposed him to the harsh realities of the cash-and-carry health system and the desperate cries of dying patients.

    Explaining the motivation behind the outreach, the Mayor of Housing said he worked at Meridian Hospitals as a laboratory scientist about 19 years ago but resigned because he could no longer cope with seeing patients struggle for survival due to lack of funds. He said his return was to help provide free medical care to the less privileged.

    Sources disclosed that China often clashed with hospital authorities in the past for insisting that critically ill patients be treated first, regardless of their ability to pay. Years later, he returned to the same hospital to support a free medical scheme and also visited the hospital’s headquarters to present cash gifts and palliatives to staff members who worked with him and had remained in service.

    He urged wealthy individuals in society to continue giving back, while other partners appealed to government to urgently establish an effective health insurance system that would ensure Nigerians receive care without prohibitive upfront payments.

    Over 400 persons were expected to benefit from the outreach held at the Oromenike Government Girls Secondary School field in the D/Line area of Port Harcourt. 

    Services provided included general medical consultations, eye tests, distribution of free reading glasses, booking for eye surgeries, blood pressure and blood sugar checks, malaria testing and treatment, free prescriptions, as well as preventive health talks on hygiene, maternal health and nutrition.

    The outreach, themed “Bringing Healthcare to the Community,” attracted large crowds, with beneficiaries arriving as early as 7 a.m. before the medical team commenced consultations.

    Some beneficiaries expressed gratitude to the organisers and offered prayers for God’s blessings upon them. One of them, 63-year-old Jerry Onwuso, said it was his first time seeing an eye doctor in years and expressed joy at receiving proper eye care and free glasses without paying any money. He appealed for the programme to be sustained.

    Another beneficiary, Loveth Sam, commended the initiative and called on the sponsors to expand its scope.

    Appreciating the gesture, the Founder and Chief Medical Director of Meridian Hospitals, Dr Iyke Odo, described China as a hardworking and compassionate individual with a long-standing passion for giving. He recalled that China had always demonstrated kindness, humanity and generosity.

    “Not everybody that gives is a giver. The difference is that givers are given to give,” he said.

    Dr Odo also called on governments at all levels to urgently review and strengthen Nigeria’s health insurance system, lamenting the frequent abandonment of critically ill patients due to lack of money.

  • Why health sector need urgent reforms in 2026, by NMA

    Why health sector need urgent reforms in 2026, by NMA

    Nigeria’s health sector recorded limited progress in 2025, with weak policy focus, persistent workforce crises, and poor financing continuing to undermine healthcare delivery, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Lagos State chapter, has said.

    In a year-end review of federal government health sector activities, the NMA Lagos chairman, Dr. Saheed Babajide Kehinde, in a statement issued on Sunday, described the performance of the sector as “highly unfortunate, unacceptable, and disappointing,” blaming what he called a lack of clear priorities by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and insufficient political attention to healthcare delivery.

    According to the association, the year was marked by an absence of decisive interventions to address the worsening “Japa syndrome”, the mass emigration of healthcare professionals, alongside poor remuneration, weak welfare packages, and inadequate training opportunities for health workers.

    Dr. Kehinde noted that industrial disputes dominated much of the year, with the Federal Government struggling to manage recurring strike actions by health sector unions and professional bodies. These disruptions, he said, repeatedly denied citizens access to essential healthcare services.

    He also faulted the ministry’s perceived emphasis on data collection, research, and engagement with international partners, arguing that this focus came at the expense of strengthening the core healthcare delivery system, particularly at the primary healthcare level.

    Nigeria’s health indices remained troubling in 2025, the NMA said, citing poor progress toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC), low health insurance penetration, and the rising cost of healthcare services. High prices of drugs, consumables, medical equipment, and diagnostic services have continued to place care beyond the reach of many Nigerians.

    Other persistent challenges highlighted in the review include poor budgetary allocation to the health sector, low healthcare financing, unreliable power supply to health institutions, and weak attention to primary healthcare, which is meant to serve as the foundation of the country’s health system.

    The association acknowledged modest gains in health infrastructure development, particularly in hospital buildings, but stressed that physical structures alone cannot deliver quality healthcare without adequate staffing, equipment, power supply, and sustainable financing.

    Looking ahead, the NMA Lagos outlined a comprehensive reform agenda it believes should define the federal government’s health priorities in 2026.

    Top of the list is the introduction of better living wages and improved remuneration for healthcare workers, alongside enhanced welfare packages aimed at retaining skilled professionals in the country.

    To curb the Japa syndrome, the association proposed a mix of incentives, including affordable housing and car loans, regular training and retraining, clear career progression pathways, access to modern equipment, overseas training opportunities, and more worker-friendly policies. It also called for a halt to assaults on healthcare workers and demanded non-taxable call duty allowances.

    On service delivery, the NMA urged the government to make healthcare more accessible, affordable, and qualitative by expanding UHC, reforming health insurance policies, and reducing the cost of care through lower tariffs on medical equipment and consumables, as well as price control measures on essential drugs.

    The association also renewed its call for the implementation of the extended retirement age for healthcare workers, stronger prioritisation of primary healthcare, and deeper collaboration between government and private hospitals to reduce mortality and improve access.

    Other recommendations include improving power supply to health institutions, reviewing health sector budgetary allocation from about six per cent to the 15 per cent target set under the Abuja Declaration, and ensuring transparency and efficiency in the use of health funds.

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    Dr. Kehinde further urged the Minister of Health to adopt a more inclusive and respectful approach to industrial relations, noting that unresolved strikes, such as those involving the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), have had severe consequences for patients.

    He also advocated the establishment of specialist hospitals across the six geopolitical zones, including infectious disease centres, and improved security and working conditions to reduce burnout and mental stress among healthcare workers.

    The 2025 review underscores long-standing structural challenges in Nigeria’s health sector and sets a clear benchmark for performance in 2026.

    For the federal government, health experts say the coming year will be a defining test of its willingness to move beyond policy rhetoric and deliver concrete reforms that place healthcare workers and patients at the centre of national development.