Nigeria ranks low in global healthcare index

Andorra tops list, Central African Republic has worst score

The first global healthcare ranking report based on a quantification of personal access and quality for 195 countries and territories from 1990 to 2015 has placed Nigeria at 140th position with 51 points on Healthcare Access and Quality Index.

According to the comprehensive study published in the May 18 edition of the medical journal, The Lancet, Nigeria lagged far behind other leading African nations in a new global healthcare report.

The study looked at 195 nations and assessed countries for health care quality and access, ranking them 0 to 100. Researchers created a Healthcare Access and Quality index based on numbers of deaths from 32 causes that could be avoided by ‘timely and effective’ medical care.

The Healthcare Access and Quality Index tracked progress in each nation compared to the benchmark year of 1990. The 32 diseases for which death rates were tracked included tuberculosis and other respiratory infections; illnesses that can be prevented with vaccines (diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus and measles); several forms of treatable cancer and heart disease; and maternal or neonatal disorders.

According to the online report, virtually all countries improved over that period, but many – especially in Africa and Oceania – fell further behind others in providing basic care for their citizens.

With the exceptions of Afghanistan, Haiti and Yemen, the 30 countries at the bottom of the ranking were all in sub-Saharan Africa, with the Central African Republic suffering the worst standards of all.

Tunisia is the highest ranked African nation at 89th position followed by Libya at 90, and Egypt at 107. Other African countries ranked ahead of Nigeria include: Namibia at 117, South Africa at 118, Gabon at 120, Botswana at 121, Swaziland at 125, Algeria at 129, Cape Verde at 131, and Morocco at 132.

The United Kingdom (UK) and United States (U.S.) were ranked 30 and 35 respectively. Top on the list are Andorra, Iceland, Switzerland, followed by Sweden and Norway.

Also in the top ten was Finland (No. 7), Spain (No. 8) the Netherlands (No. 9) and banking centre Luxembourg rounded out the first 10 finishers.

Of the 20 countries heading up the list, including France (No. 15), all but Australia and Japan (No. 11) are in Western Europe, where virtually every nation boasts some form of universal health coverage.