• Minister warn against duplication of health institutions
The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Health Institutions, Amos Gwamna Magaji, has said the migration of Nigerian health workers to other countries in the search for greener pastures portends a big threat to the nation’s healthcare system.
Magaji said this as the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Mohammed Ali Pate, warned against duplication of health institutions across the country.
He said it would be counter-productive to duplicate healthcare institutions, especially in this era of scarce resources.
Read Also: Netizens blast Betty Akeredolu for referring to Nigeria as zoo
Speaking at a public hearing on 16 Bills for the establishment of one health institution or the other, Magaji said: “The need to reposition the healthcare sector to meet numerous emerging challenges is crucial to its improvement. To succeed in this era, a system that is well invested in human resources and medical intelligence as the backbone of the health sector is required. The administrative appointment of capable persons based on merit in hospital management also has a role to play.
“Proper human resource management is critical to providing high-quality health care. Effective human resource management strategies are critical for improving healthcare outcomes and access in Nigeria.
“As arguably the most important of the health system inputs, the performance and benefits the system can deliver depend largely on the knowledge, skills, and motivation of those responsible for providing health services. It goes without saying, therefore, that this aspect of our health sector must be invested in to ensure a thriving and performing sector.
“The structural quality of a health system is heavily influenced by its healthcare infrastructure. As we carried out oversight functions to healthcare institutions across the country since the inauguration of this committee, what are undeniably evident are infrastructural deficiencies of health services, lack of equipment resulting largely from inadequate funding of health institutions by the government, and a total lack of maintenance culture for equipment provided.”
Prof. Pate said health sector research, including that of the cardiology, was already taking place in many fronts across Nigeria.
The minister said the Bill seeking the establishment of a cardiovascular institute would put an additional financial burden on the government, if the law scaled through.
He told the hearing that the government was reducing the cost of governance by pruning down its agencies.
Represented by a director in the ministry, Dr. Jimoh Olawale Salahudeen, the minister said the ministry remained enthusiastic and supportive of every effort to ensure growth and progress in the health sector.
According to him, while the ministry appreciates the effort of the House of the Representative in deepening healthcare services, including training and research in the country, the suggested cardiovascular research institute is not more important than having any other institute for treating non-communicable diseases to warrant the establishment of the proposed National Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Research and Treatment Centre in Kano.
He said: “All the Federal Teaching Hospitals (FTHs) and Federal Medical Centres (FMCs) in Nigeria, including those in the Northwest, already have the mandate of Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases, Research and Training of Health care professional, including medical doctors who are specialist in the management of cardiovascular diseases and other related cases,
“The Federal Teaching Hospitals in the Northwest include: Aminu Kano University Teaching Hospital in Kano State; Anmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital in Zaria, Kaduna State; Usman Dan Fodio University Teaching Hospital in Sokoto; the Federal Teaching Hospital in Katsina; the FMC at Azare in Bauchi State; the FMC at Birnin Kebbi in Kebbi State; FMC in Birnin Kudu in Jigawa State; and the FMC at Gusau in Zamfara State.
“These aforementioned existing FTHs’ cardiovascular units have not been overstretched nor reportedly underserving the people in the geopolitical zone. In addition, other state tertiary hospitals in this zone complement the effort of the FTHs in responding to some of the specialised cardiovascular cases in this region. These hospitals have not been reported to be underserving the people.
“Furthermore, there is the Nigeria Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) at Yaba in Lagos, an agency under the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, that has been coordinating medical research in the country as it is obtainable in other parts of the world, including the United States (U.S.A.), the United Kingdom (UK), Canada, Ghana, Senegal, among others.
“Colleges of Health Technology are established to ensure the training of middle-level health professionals in various fields of health practices. For example: Nursing, Radiography, Dental Therapy and Technology, Medical Laboratory Science, Pharmacy, amongst others.
“The establishment of Federal College of Health Technology at Song in Adamawa State will provide opportunity for the eligible citizens and the people of Adamawa State to have access to health education, leading to the training of more health professionals that will improve the health workforce of the state with a view to curbing the health challenges of people in the grassroots. The establishment of the college will further boost economic activities of the area where it is cited.’
Commenting on the dangers that the migration of healthcare professionals posed to the health sector, Prof. Pate said: “The migration of health workers and the epidemics and their emerging trend underscore the need for Nigeria to have enough and efficient health workforce that will be readily available when there are any health emergencies.
“The Federal Ministry of Health has no objection to the establishment of the proposed Federal tertiary health institutions. However, this should be based on merit, considering geographical spread, burden of disease in the proposed location, population density as well as support from the host community and other stakeholders.
“The existing cardiovascular unit in Federal tertiary hospitals should be strengthened. Government should ensure adequate medical manpower, especially during this period of massive brain drain in the country, and adequate funding of existing cardiology units in all FTHs.
“It is pertinent to note that there already exist in Adamawa State, the College of Health Technology at Michika and a College of Health Technology at Mubi, but they are state-owned.
“The Federal Ministry of Health is not averse to the establishing the Federal College of Health Technology at Askira-Uba, as it will further boost the training and availability of health professional response to emergencies, However, health technology is within the purview of the state.”