Health Interactive with Dr. Aminu Magashi

British Government Scholarships and Public Health

The time I was developing this write up in my office two days ago , an ardent supporter of this column who always accept any prescription dishes out hook, line and sinker walked in to my office and his quizzical eye discovered the topic of this discourse on the screen of my Lap Top Computer and other few scattered papers on my desk. He worriedly asked me that , why was I taking the trouble of advocating an issue , that based on my perceived  partnership with British Council in some projects  , I can easily make a personal appeal and request on my behalf to secure a Scholarship to study Masters in Public Health in United Kingdom.

I took my time to lecture him that, of course issues regarding Scholarships from  UK government, is based on merit and structured application and my writing has nothing to do with my personal ambition and desire, but the generality of the populace, if my advocacy contributes in changing certain policies which I believe are archaic and its positively affects the thinking of the Subject in question, that is the projection of all the discourses on this page. In most instances, I may not even be aware of the changes, not to talk of benefiting as a person.

Coming back to the issue under discussion, British Government, from available information obtained are providing three category of Scholarships in Nigeria. The most popular one is Chevening Scholarship Programme, a prestigious award scheme that fund international post graduate students who want to study in the UK. Funded by the UK’s Foreign and Common Wealth Office and administered by the British Council. One of the main aims of the scheme is to assist successful candidates in playing leading roles in the future of their country. Currently in Nigeria , the available courses are Economics, Finance ,Banking , Law, Human Rights , Public Administration , Management , Project Planning , Media , Political Science , International Relations , Diplomatic Training And Environmental Studies , although applicants for other courses may be considered .

Another one is the DFID Shared Scholarship Scheme, it awards scholarships to students who are likely to work in economic, Social or Technological Fields when they return to Nigeria after study, there fore awards are granted to students working  in these areas. The last but not the least, is the Common Wealth Scholarship which enables students from common wealth countries to study in other Common Wealth Countries. The Plan funds most courses at Masters or PhD level and available for any subject. I am not too sure, if the funding is solely from the UK alone or other Common Wealth of Nations make contribution to the scheme. Another angle is that, while the two former  mentioned Schemes are being managed and administered by the U.K High Commission and British Council, the latter is being to some extent influenced by the Nigerian Government through Federal and States Scholarship Boards who distribute  application forms, collate and submit them to the appropriate authorities.

Before the ushering in  of  Democracy in 1999 , Chevening Scholarship Scheme among its priority , has Masters in Public Health ( MPH )  , quite regrettably , from 1999 to date , courtesy of Democracy and withdrawal of Military from governance , MPH is no longer among the priority courses , as such it falls under the  ‘although applicants for other courses may be considered , a diplomatic message of saying it is  not available . The simple reason for any body who care to ask , is that , a lot of MPHs were given during the military era  , I often ponder , what is the relationship between Health and Military regime . Another worrisome development is the drastic and calculated  disappreance of any thing related  Health from the British Council Offices across the country ( Lagos , Kano , Abuja , Port Harcourt ) , name them , Books , Journals and Magazines , CD ROMs and the recent available remote E sources , a.k.a ATHENS . I wonder whether also the disappearance of health information and materials from the British Council Libraries in the country is linked to military era.

I want to believe that, we cannot separate health from development, no matter the kind of system we are operating in Nigeria, without healthy people, the governance we are envisaging, would not be possible. Even with the change of priority and shifting to social sciences, I found a paradox in the approach and policy implementation. We are all aware of the commitment of the British Government towards achieving Millennium Development Goals globally and of course in Nigeria , if there is any International  Development Institution  in Nigeria that is passionate about helping Nigeria to achieve the desired goals , is  no other than the Department For International Development ( DFID ) UK .

All DFID programmes are structured towards achieving the MDGs, particularly its PATH Project (Partnership For Transforming Health Systems). Looking at the MDGs, one will confidently say that, half of what is expected to achieve by 2015 is link to health care delivery systems, 3 MDGs are talking directly about health. MDGs 4, 5 and 6 that focus on Reducing Child Mortality, Improve Maternal Health and Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases respectively. MDG 4 is aiming at reducing the child mortality by about 66 % and MDG 5 is looking at reducing maternal mortality rate by 75 % and MDG 6 is looking at combating HIV/AIDS and reducing its prevalence among youth by 25 % and halting the effect of malaria and other diseases.

One will have assume that ,  with the commitment of DFID to help Nigeria achieve the MDGs, one will assume that ,  it is not only a matter of funding or financial support, but also assisting the country towards capacity building and having skilled health personnel and experts who will serve as  local partners that will lead programmes and projects towards realizations of such goals. A better way to have more local partners is to provide M.P.H to Nigerians and available information on health at the various British Council Libraries, which for now, are lacking.

The British Government should be seen to be implementing what they are preaching in the country. Recently in September  and November , 2004  , the British Secretary for State for Development , Rt Hon Hillary Benn and the Director General , DFID , Head Quarters , Dr Nemat Shafik respectively were in  Nigeria  . In the two visits of the august visitors of which I was opportune to interact with them, topical issues that were discussed were the MDGs, and health related goals featured in that discussion too . I can vividly remember we discussed about the Polio Eradication, HIV/AIDS, and reduction of Maternal Mortality Rate, amongst others. I want to believe that, a better way of helping Nigerian is not only funding, but capacity building through M.P.H courses and locally available health information.

Looking at Nigerian Universities , very few offers M.P.H , I am aware of University of Ibadan , Lagos , A.B.U Zaria and Sokoto , In conclusion , I am strongly of the belief that , the yard stick for offering foreign courses should be local needs  and above all the attainment of Millennium Development Goals which the British Government through its DFID is passionate about .