As regards Nigerian Health Reforms

The Nigerian Government has finally decided to do something about the crisis in the healthcare system. I am sure they are haunted by the fact that the private sector provides 65.7% of healthcare delivery which in most part is unregulated, inaccessible and not affordable to the predominantly poor Nigerian populace.
Although there were a number of white papers on health policy reforms during the protracted, mediocre military era, there was total disconnect between policy formulation and implementation.
This present regime’s effort at revitalizing the Nigerian health system anchors its foundation on a certain health policy (the National Policy and Strategy to achieve health for all Nigerians) promulgated in 1988. This policy was revised by the present administration in 2004 and forms the platform for collaboration with several agencies for healthcare development, including the WHO.
There has been a number of consultations with several stakeholders with the ultimate aim of implementing the health strategies of the New Partnership for Africa Development (NEPAD), National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) allowing primary healthcare to remain the fulcrum of sustained, equitable development by encouraging and strengthening Village Health Committees (VHCs) to mobilize community. The following are some of the policy thrusts of the reform agenda:
-National Health System and its Management
-National Healthcare’s Resources Management
-National Health Interventions and Services delivery
-National Health Information Systems
-Partnerships for Health Development
-Health Research and Healthcare Laws.
I do not want to appear pessimistic but there is need for total resolve by all concerned to translate all the above to improved health outcomes for the ordinary Nigerian.
I work as a physician in Nigeria and I experience firsthand the difficulties people face here when trying to obtain quality healthcare or any healthcare at all. Perhaps those experiences are for another post. But it can be very frustrating working in here because of inadequate capacity, among other limitations. You can not help many as you would want to. You cannot even help yourself! We simply toil on.