Progress and Challenges in Nigeria’s Healthcare System Highlighted in New Report

A new report highlights notable advancements in Nigeria’s healthcare, indicating increased health insurance coverage and improvements in maternal and child health. Despite progress, challenges remain, including low birth facility rates, high neonatal mortality, and limited access to contraceptives. Urgent policy actions are recommended to address healthcare disparities and workforce distribution within the sector.

A recent comprehensive report, titled “The 2024 State of Health of the Nation Report,” indicates significant advancements in health insurance coverage, maternal and child healthcare, and workforce development in Nigeria. Despite these improvements, challenges persist, including low facility-based deliveries and high neonatal mortality rates, alongside gaps in immunization coverage and an uneven distribution of healthcare professionals. The report, derived from the data collected under the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal and Investment Initiative (NHSRII), was released by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The report aims to guide policymakers in enhancing health outcomes across Nigeria. It reveals that health insurance coverage has increased, demonstrating the government’s commitment to Universal Health Coverage (UHC), with an estimated 19.1 million Nigerians insured as of December 2024, up from 16.8 million in 2023. Nevertheless, the report emphasizes that a large portion of the population still lacks financial protection, significantly burdening households with out-of-pocket healthcare costs.

Furthermore, the use of modern contraceptives among married women aged 15 to 49 rose from 12 percent in 2018 to 15 percent in 2023/2024, although the unmet need for family planning remains high at 21 percent. This suggests many women still lack access to contraceptive methods, attributed to limited availability of family planning commodities in health facilities, where only 18.5 percent had contraceptive pills stocked.

Only 43 percent of women were found to deliver in healthcare facilities, indicating that many births occur in unsafe environments, thereby increasing the risk of complications. While the under-five mortality rate has improved, dropping from 132 to 110 deaths per 1,000 live births between 2018 and 2023, neonatal deaths remain a grave concern, comprising 37 percent of all under-five deaths. Moreover, a troubling 31 percent of children aged 12 to 23 months do not receive any vaccinations.

The report highlights malnutrition as a critical public health issue, noting that although nearly half of health facilities offer nutrition-related services, there exists a significant knowledge gap among caregivers regarding appropriate feeding practices. Additionally, the care for non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as hypertension and diabetes, remains underdeveloped, with only 12 percent of facilities providing hypertension management and 14 percent offering diabetes care.

With a doctor-to-population ratio of 2.9 per 10,000 individuals, far below the World Health Organization’s recommendation of 17, the report stresses the concentration of 80 percent of doctors in urban areas, leaving rural communities underserved. It calls for immediate policy actions, such as increased healthcare expenditure and enhancing access to services.

The report urges a notable expansion of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) to reach more citizens, as well as measures to ensure the uninterrupted availability of family planning resources. Additionally, strengthening immunization and child health initiatives is paramount to combat vaccine-preventable diseases. The report also emphasizes the necessity to address NCDs by enhancing screening and treatment options in primary healthcare facilities. Recommendations to incentivize health workers to serve in rural locations and bolster training programs for healthcare practitioners in relevant areas are also made, alongside a push for local production of medicines and vaccines, and improved disease surveillance and response systems.

In conclusion, the “2024 State of Health of the Nation Report” presents a mixed picture of Nigeria’s healthcare system, showcasing essential achievements in health insurance and maternal health while also exposing critical gaps that require immediate attention. Policymakers are urged to allocate more resources, expand health services access, and promote local health manufacturing initiatives. The recommendations provided could potentially lead to improved health outcomes and equity across Nigeria’s diverse population.

Original Source: www.premiumtimesng.com