Private Sector Healthcare Providers Offering 60% of Nigeria’s Needs, Says Fayemi

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi has said private healthcare providers are responsible for 60 per cent of health service delivery in the country.

Fayemi stated this at a one day roundtable dialogue on private sector intervention in health care in Abuja organised by the Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN).

Speaking on the role of the private healthcare providers in the country, Fayemi said the contribution of the private healthcare professionals is a very critical one, “given that 60 per cent of health service delivery is offered in the private sector”.

He said it is important for government to work together with the private sector to ensure the delivery of the goal of Universal Health Coverage.

As a country, Fayemi said Nigeria is experiencing its worst recession in the past 40 years, adding that the limited fiscal room at the federal level of government has affected the states.

He further stated that states have had to adjust their spending and priorities to stay afloat.

According to the governor, the prevailing fiscal realities have also affected the poorest households.

He however, said that while mitigating the immediate consequences of the pandemic, focus must be on building back our economy and a health system which is resilient to global health crises and economic shocks.

The governor also said there is a need to address challenges in human resources for health, adding that this can be achieved by prioritising recovery plans that tackle multiple challenges.

“Nigeria can recover in a way that is more inclusive, sustainable and resilient. Neither individual governments nor the global development community can entirely prevent the emergence of diseases.

“However, we can be better prepared by strengthening our health system through investment in health security and Universal Health Coverage.

“Investing in health security through financing epidemic preparedness is a smart and cost-effective way to protect lives and safeguard the economy with a significant return on investment.

“In addition, the resources and infrastructure required for pandemic preparedness also facilitate efforts to fight endemic diseases,” he said.

He disclosed that Ekiti State government has decentralised testing to 145 testing centres, the highest in the country, and improved on its disease surveillance capacity to pick up early signals of possible outbreaks.

Earlier, President AGPMPN, Dr. Iyke Odo, urged governments at the federal, state and local levels to give maximum support to the private medical practitioners for the growth of the health system in Nigeria.

He also called for the establishment of the Health Bank so that private practitioners in the health sector can have access to loans with minimal interest rates.

Odo explained that in all countries of the world whose health system is doing well, the private practitioners had benefited from the support by the government both financially and in terms of infrastructure.