Awareness
In terms of awareness, Mallam Ribadu acknowledges the need for primary healthcare and investments in human resources, and more long-term the need to invest in secondary and tertiary infrastructure. There is also a nod to the university teaching hospitals.
There are however other problems or health issues that aren't addressed. There is no acknowledgement of the scale of investment needed (an issue in itself). It makes no mention of sanitation and education, easily addressable issues that will have monumental effects on the health of the nation.
Ambition
In terms of ambition, his plan aims to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) vis a vis reducing infant and maternal mortality and combating infectious disease. This on the face of it may not seem ambitious, as the goals are meant to be achieved by 2015 ( coincidentally the end of the next presidential term), however, as it has been suggested by Action Aid international Nigeria, the achievements of the health MDGs need sustained effort to be achieved in Nigeria and so in this regard the pan should be seen as ambitious. The plan to build 6 top of the range secondary and tertiary institutions across the geo-political zones is very ambitious. It will require money, expertise and political capital of epic proportions to be initiated and such commitments will surely need to outlive the presidency to reach the 'world-class' levels it aspires to.
Detail
This section of the manifesto is somewhat dry on detail, it says it will improve healthcare through improvement of human resources and improving efficiency and there is of course the promise of 6 new specialist hospitals. Beyond that however, there isn't much to go on, it talks of using incentives to attract more people to the workforce but leaves it at that. There is no plan set out for how to achieve the MDGs other than their attainment is a goal. There are no other measurable targets set for any of the ambitions, neither is there a time scale set nor are details of the funding of these projects given.
My View
I think health in Nigeria is a complex issue, the scale of health problems is undeniable: life expectancy is less than 50 years, infant mortality was 100/1000 live births in 2003. I think that tackling healthcare should be a job for both the public and private sectors. The government should focus on training and utilising primary healthcare professionals and publicly funded programmes for the time being should be limited to primary healthcare. Investment in secondary/tertiary healthcare should be left largely to the private sector for now. The government should also focus on non-sector specific things that will improve health such as education, sanitation, reducing smoking, promoting healthy active life-styles etc. These will have massive effects and will probably cost less.
A start must be made somewhere and the achievement of the MDGs by 2015 has to be part of any healthcare plan for Nigeria
Scores (out of 5)
Awareness: 3.25
Ambition: 3.0
Detail: 2.0
My view: 3.0
In terms of awareness, Mallam Ribadu acknowledges the need for primary healthcare and investments in human resources, and more long-term the need to invest in secondary and tertiary infrastructure. There is also a nod to the university teaching hospitals.
There are however other problems or health issues that aren't addressed. There is no acknowledgement of the scale of investment needed (an issue in itself). It makes no mention of sanitation and education, easily addressable issues that will have monumental effects on the health of the nation.
Ambition
In terms of ambition, his plan aims to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) vis a vis reducing infant and maternal mortality and combating infectious disease. This on the face of it may not seem ambitious, as the goals are meant to be achieved by 2015 ( coincidentally the end of the next presidential term), however, as it has been suggested by Action Aid international Nigeria, the achievements of the health MDGs need sustained effort to be achieved in Nigeria and so in this regard the pan should be seen as ambitious. The plan to build 6 top of the range secondary and tertiary institutions across the geo-political zones is very ambitious. It will require money, expertise and political capital of epic proportions to be initiated and such commitments will surely need to outlive the presidency to reach the 'world-class' levels it aspires to.
Detail
This section of the manifesto is somewhat dry on detail, it says it will improve healthcare through improvement of human resources and improving efficiency and there is of course the promise of 6 new specialist hospitals. Beyond that however, there isn't much to go on, it talks of using incentives to attract more people to the workforce but leaves it at that. There is no plan set out for how to achieve the MDGs other than their attainment is a goal. There are no other measurable targets set for any of the ambitions, neither is there a time scale set nor are details of the funding of these projects given.
My View
I think health in Nigeria is a complex issue, the scale of health problems is undeniable: life expectancy is less than 50 years, infant mortality was 100/1000 live births in 2003. I think that tackling healthcare should be a job for both the public and private sectors. The government should focus on training and utilising primary healthcare professionals and publicly funded programmes for the time being should be limited to primary healthcare. Investment in secondary/tertiary healthcare should be left largely to the private sector for now. The government should also focus on non-sector specific things that will improve health such as education, sanitation, reducing smoking, promoting healthy active life-styles etc. These will have massive effects and will probably cost less.
A start must be made somewhere and the achievement of the MDGs by 2015 has to be part of any healthcare plan for Nigeria
Scores (out of 5)
Awareness: 3.25
Ambition: 3.0
Detail: 2.0
My view: 3.0
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