Buhari should launch a national health plan

SIR: I wish to draw President Muhammadu Buhari’s attention to the health sector as one of the critical sectors for priority attention, because nothing can stand without good health. The health sector needs your priority attention. Nigerians should not be suffering from underdeveloped health system despite the huge resources in the nation. I remember when you first came to lead the nation as Head of State in 1983, your government said that “our health system was in shambles and the nation’s hospitals were mere consulting clinics.”

Mr. President, the situation is still like a salad bowl; our health system has not come out of the shambles state you met it in 1983, 32 years ago. I recommend that the President should launch Buharicare now for Nigeria’s health sector. Our health system needs this programme. We need a rejuvenated, revived and renewed health system at all levels.

Nigerians voted for change and this must reach the health sector. Your Excellency should send many diseases parking from Nigeria through new policies that would be sincerely implemented at basic health care level, secondary health care and tertiary care level. There is urgent need to reduce reliance on medical tourism, develop our medical institutions and facilities in Nigeria and alternative medicine. The health industry should also be rejuvenated by encouraging the private sector in the health plan.

This is the year we are supposed to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on health, but Nigeria is still far from many of these goals. Preventable diseases should be better controlled to improve health and productivity in the nation. Maternal and child health should be given more strategic attention to reduce maternal mortality. Just as you are tackling corruption and looting of the nation resources, kindly consider the health sector as well.

The nation needs healthy people, healthy manpower, healthy populace, healthy sports men and women, healthy youths for socio-economic development of the nation.

I urge President Buhari to move the nation’s health forward with a health agenda that will improve accessibility, availability, affordability, health insurance for all Nigerians, acceptability with community mobilization and participation. I urge the President to launch a national health plan. I wish the President great success.

• Bola Olaosebikan,
Lagos.