WE HAVE TALKED SENSE AGAIN!!! ...A Nation With Penchant For Making Law...A Lethargic Presidency...Another Shame Added To This Presidency... The question of Universal Health care to my mind is the most important failure of this government despite the foundation so laid albeit patch-patch by President Olusegun Obasanjo. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), “a health system where individuals have to pay out of their own pockets at the moment of seeking treatment restricts access to only those who can afford it, and is likely to exclude the poorest members of the society.” The position of the WHO was what I reiterated when the President made a disconnect speech via his VP to the health summit in 2012 when he said: ...the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) is driving the concept of UHC through the NHIS and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA). ....while the NHIS is in-charge of the administrative part of the UHC that includes registration and regulation, the NPHCDA takes care of the implementation especially through the established Primary Health Care (PHC) centres nationwide... Immediately I read this, I reiterated that all that the president said was LONG in speech and lacking in vision hence will achieve nothing. I was so critical of that position that those emails I got from the government supporters reinforced that, after all, we may not have people that could critically think through issues but will rather FOLLOW-FOLLOW. If you critically look at the policy direction of government vis-a-vis the shout of transformation agenda of the government, I believe all that you will see is huge disconnect. ...HISTORY OF UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE... In 1999, the presidency of Olusegun Obasanjo launched the NHIS and it was actually kicked off in 2005 by with big funfair and cheers. However, the first Community-based Health Insurance Scheme (CHIS) was set off in 2009, in Kwara State, by then Minister of Health, Prof. Eyitayo Lambo which to my mind was because of lack of kick-Start-Out in the initial launch in 2005. A government that refuses to look inward into why it policy failed will never do anything right!!! ...THE BIG GOVERNMENT FAILURE... Unfortunately, nine years after NHIS and five years after CHIS roll outs, which promised universal access to health services by 2015 for ALL NIGERIANS and residents alike, less than 10 per cent of Nigerians are enrolled with any form of health insurance meaning that most Nigerians still cannot afford basic health services; 90 per cent of the population who can, pay out-of-pocket, while others patronize quacks and traditional healers for ‘cheaper’ services. This total failure makes one to wonder whether it is worthwhile to have a government that could NOT consider its words to be its bond... Ghana came to study our policy direction in 2005 and deploy it in their country in 2007, now, the country is boosting of 67.9% coverage and the presidency has committed itself to 100% by 2017. ...NIGERIANS AND OUR PENCHANT FOR NEW LAWS... Just as if laws were our problems, we regularly demand and make new laws for issues that would naturally be a government pronouncement and directives thus in the course of such law making, we let momentum of progressive thoughts and ideas escape the contention at hand. Since the law, National Healthcare, was made in 1999, the NA and the presidency had proposed and passed quite a number of other laws like UHC, CHIS, etc... Hmm...nations that succeed in delivering health to their people did not go through these many laws... ...YOUR HEALTH...YOUR MOBILE... If you could recollect, I post a pieces on my wall titled: ...YOUR HEALTH...YOUR MOBILE... The post advanced why we must NOT reinvent wheels because the template to do whatever we needed to do are here with us. The post was in response to the Federal Ministry of Health to spend N110billion to gather data of Nigerians in the informal sector and others that had not be covered by the NHIS which was believed to be up to 160million Nigerians. The Minister of information in justifying the cost broke it down to average N1,000 per person or something in that range. I wrote I rebuttal to say that even if it was ZERO KOBO, their idea was satanic, unwise, unreasonable, backward and NOT intelligent. I raised a simple SOLUTION...why CANT THE GOVERNMENT introduce a subscription for Nigerians through OUR MOBILE PHONE network... I wrote further that an average Nigeria has mobile which are now registered, LINK to individuals with their photographs, addresses etc... ...THE MOBILE PHONE HEALTHCARE SUBCRIPTION OPERATION... 1. Federal Government policy directive ordering all the mobile phone operators through the NCC to synchronise all the names of the mobile subscribers to ascertain how many have more than one lines to avoid duplication of names. 2. The Federal Government to set up unique REGISTRATION numbering system whereby all telephone subscribers could be issued with a unique health number. That was so because Nigeria could not boost of a postal service that could make letter documentation possible. 3. The Health number could thus be linked to compulsory specific monthly subscription for Universal Health Care (UHC) may be set up at N200 per week... 4. In the face of setting up a National Insurance Contribution scheme which the Nigeria Labour Union has been resisting the members to pay 5% of their salary whilst the government to pay 15% counterpart funding, this mobile system could thus be worked around the resistance and prevent massive labour conflicts. My reasoning on that was, at least the labour union could not force or not to subscribe!!! 5. Nigerians on either weekly or monthly basis could subscribe whereby if any fell sick, the Health Number could be used to access healthcare in any GP surgery across the country. I asserted that, the process wasnt the final stop but the initial step to reform thus a STOP-GAP that will provide cover for least 100millin Nigerians alleviating the challenges of untimely death and lack of productivity through man-hour lost during sicknesses. The concept was further advanced to thus proceed to medical practise reforms because the premium so paid will increase the viability of these private practises hence a further holistic program that will overhaul the system will thus be put in motion. ...AS USUAL... As usual, the government apologists emailed me that it was NEVER going to work and that the government policy direction was the best way to reach millions not covered. But the question is, two years later after the pronouncement of the FG policy, nothing was achieved but we THANK GOD... ...MTN LAUNCHES MOBILE HEALTH INSURANCE SCHEME... I was delighted when I saw on the TV the initiative of MTN to create a number where Nigerians not covered could send a test to subscribe and they could be issued with private insurance cover. The subscription is to cost N250 per week and the number is #656#... Once a subscriber signs on, he would be allocated a hospital where specific limited treatments could be received without paying out of pocket... The Minister of information, health etc were on hand to show up their shameless faces... The Minister of Information had the audacity to declare: ...Nigeria will always set the pace...this program is unique and NO COUNTRY IN THE WORLD HAS DONE THIS BEFORE...WE HAVE DONE IT AGAIN...President Ebele Jonathan is moving Nigeria forward...Health care will be available for all during this administration... ...HOW I WISH THE gods COULD STRIKE HIM... When this shameless minister embarked upon this shameless speech as if the initiative was government one, I had the feeling of striking him, if not dead but dealt him with real GBH but for the LAW, I couldnt have done that!!!! ...HOW I WISH THESE APOLOGISTS COULD RE-WIND BACK... I am very upset as I put this pieces together and very frustrated. How I wish these apologists so naïve in loyalty could recollect and re wind back. What these lazy burgers never realised was, a functional Nigeria will only benefit every Nigerians, home and abroad... When patriotic Nigerians make suggestions, no matter how remote the realisation was, it behest on all of us to critique such suggestion holistically and in the course of the critique process, the policy makers could make meaning of it and act... I recently posted some policy directions as usual on President Jonathan FBWall and I realised that, as soon as the post was beamed to the public, someone will remove same and such was not only associated to President Jonathan wall. Even the Jonathan/Sambo for 2015 FBWall does the same, the administrator pull down any alternative policy direction but in the case of the later, I was informed by the administrator that, such posts were NOT welcome on the wall but rather a showcase of the President achievements are what they want to underline. ...NIGERIA, WHERE IS YOUR CONSCIENCE... When I read what that administrator told me about the type of posts they want to see on the wall, I went soul searching and asked myself critical question: Nigeria, where is thy soul, Nigeria, where is thy conscience!!!! Conclusion: But I have resolved within me that, though i may not be in the NA NOW to propagate these ideas which I daily post, that will not prevent me to daily think through our problem and raise likely simple solutions and alternative policy directions because the directions we are all in NOW are hopelessly wrong in direction . In this instance, MTN had shamed the government apologists and the government of President Jonathan by providing leadership where they all failed to provide same some 13months after these proposal was first mooted. Yes, most of my posts may be altruistic and NOT seen being practised anywhere but a critical thinker would only see Nigeria as so complex that success could only be witnessed by development the system in unusual way because of situations have gone past the usual!!!! Hmm...we shall continue to reinforce the truth and will never succumb to the harassment of some who consistently purport us to be the voice of the opposition hence whatever we suggested are thus view from that narrow togas of opposition voice NOT worthy of adaptation and adoption.
Posted on: Sat, 26 Jul 2014 09:47:38 +0000
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