The Nigerian health system is like a car with a broken engine. We keep changing the driver with the hope that the car will perform. How practicable?

A fundamental right enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is the right to life, liberty and security of person. Dare I say that it is the right to a healthy life. As is generally said, a healthy nation is a wealthy nation. This popular parlance has made many a government work assiduously to ensure the health and wealth of her citizens.

However, a cursory look at the health barometer reveals the unacceptable nature of Nigeria’s health system. This is despite the fact that Nigeria is among the top 10 oil producers of the world. The statistics are scary and shocking:

• With a maternal mortality ratio of 1100 per 100,000 live births (WHO (2005), it is unacceptable that woman should die in the process of bringing another life
• It is unacceptable that life expectancy at birth in Nigeria is 47 years compared with neighbouring countries like Benin (56 years), Burkina Faso (52 years) and Ghana (60 years). (UNICEF State of the World’s Children Report 2009).  This means that one stands a chance of living longer in these countries.
• It is unacceptable that Nigeria is one of only 4 countries in the world that is endemic of wild polio virus, the only such country in Africa, and the only country that is not in war or conflict situation.
• It is unacceptable that while many Nigerians are providing excellent healthcare services in Europe, Middle East and America, most primary, secondary and tertiary health care centres in Nigeria lack basic healthcare personnel.
• It is unacceptable that by the time you finish reading this article, many a Nigerian child would have died from preventable diseases. This is unacceptable!

Perhaps like the whole nation itself, there are more questions than answers. However, one cannot but still ask, how did we get here, and why are we where we are today? Upon independence in 1960, Nigeria alongside countries that gained independence in that era like Malaysia (1957), Singapore (1965) and even the United Arab Emirates (1971) were projected to be among the most developed nations at the turn of the 20th century.

Nigeria has actually regressed. According to the WHO report 2005, Nigeria’s death due to HIV/AIDS per 100,000 per year is 165 compared to Indonesia (2) and Malaysia (16). Also, neonatal mortality rate is 47 per 1,000 live births for Nigeria, while Indonesia is 17, United Arab Emirates 4, and Malaysia 5. Sadly Nigeria did not get it right, and I ask again if she can ever get it right?

Since yesterday, perhaps the day before yesterday, there has been need for change, and urgent change at that. Subsequent governments have recognised the need for change but have done little to effect the desired change. What are the key things Nigeria is missing in moving her health care sector forward? What are the acceptable health indices by which Nigeria should be judged? Who should build the bridge? While the questions abound, may I submit that there is need for attitudinal or behaviour change if Nigeria is to get to the Promised Land. This paradigm shift should spur Nigerians to change the way we do things.

Nigerians need to think outside the box, empower and train our people to effectively use resources and skills to better our health care delivery system.

Permit me to ask again, why are we where we are today? How can we get to where we should be? What do we need to do to get there? I appreciate your comments, ideas and suggestions.