AUCHI – A Medical Practitioner in Edo state, Dr Gabriel Ogah has called on government at all levels in the country to ensure the provision of good health services as a basic necessity for Nigerians to aspire to economic development.
Dr Ogah made the plea weekend at the 22nd convocation /50th anniversary lecture delivered at Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi entitled: “Health in National Development”
The guest lecturer who is a consultant Urologist explained that health was not just the absence of disease or infirmity but the complete physical, mental and social well being, pointing out that good and reasonable income whose value was not grossly vitiated by poor monetary policy, inequality and corruption would lead to development.
While emphasizing the World Health Organisation’s declaration to all nations that provision of primary health care to all peoples shall be the bedrock of health care systems which include amongst others: To eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; reduce child mortality and improve maternal health, he lamented that none of these goals had been met in Nigeria.
Ogah observed that peculiar health problems as ignorance, poor health funding, gross inadequacy of manpower and functional inadequacy arising from under use had continued to plague the system.
He recalled that in spite of the profuse endowment of human and material resources, Nigeria had failed to make progress as it continued to be mired inexorably in corruption, degradation, oppression and authoritarianism.
Dr Ogah, therefore advocated increased health funding, engagement in massive health education, improved health manpower, viz establishment of School of Health Technology in every senatorial zone and privatization of all health training institutions as solution that could usher in a healthy and developed nation in the near future.
