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Last week a leading presidential aspirant was 'breathless' and he was rushed to a hospital in Germany. This week yet another leading presidential aspirant sustained a 'minor injury' during exercise and was rushed to another hospital in London. This only sends one message-The appalling state of our hospitals. Both of these aspirants have had no less then eighty years in power to made a difference in the health sector. Yet none of them has health among his top three priorities if elected into office. For crying out loud, three of the eight millennium development development goals are health related. I am left with no other question but 'does any one of these men deserve our vote at the end of the day? 'Time will tell. Let me tell all Nigerians that the hospital bills, accommodation, estacodes of aides, the cost of transport logistics and other unaccounted and unenvisaged expenses which will be incurred by these two individuals is enough to fix a whole hospital in Nigeria or at least rehabilitate one, and I know what i am talking about. As a medical practitioner I have always wondered why we have the latest Mercedes Benzs and BMWs in Nigeria, yet make do with outdated medical equipments. How can a leader with any moral senses use large public funds for selfish treatment abroad, yet leaving behind the masses without basic health care. What is the justification for undertaking expensive medical trips for a 'routine' checkup or 'minor' injury? The public is being insulted by knowing that our leaders have no confidence in the very health care they have put in place. It is absurd, it beats me hollow that millions of Nigerians die yearly not only of disease in itself but also of the underlying social deprivation that either prevents them from accessing medical treatment or which aggravate their illnesses. These leaders go shopping for health care abroad ,having left behind children in their neighborhoods who die from diseases as minor and as curable as malaria! Every death in a Government owned hospital sends a message. Nigerian masses die after leaving a clue to why they died. Records are there, Katsina state has one of the highest number of cases of women who suffer from Vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) in the country.It also has one of the highest number of cases of malnourished children in the country who subseuently die from common illness Yet, Yaradua found solace in a German hospital. Adamawa ranks high up in recording unacceptably high rates of deaths from complications of pregnancy and delivery in the world. Yet Atiku went shopping for a knee treatment. Our leaders do not have confidence in our health sector yet we sleep and wake up with reform agenda, due process, visions and semantics. When will access to health service desist from being a privilege and become a right in my country Nigeria? I pray for the oppressors as well as the oppressed, But please God deliver us from the hands of our leaders because they are becoming agents of mass destruction, Make Nigerian masses healthy because we cannot afford treatment in Germany or England!
Dr Rabiatu Hadi,
Department of Public
Health,
School of Health and
Related Research,
The University of
Sheffeild, United Kingdom.
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