Why Nigeria Loses Lives to Common Ailments – Akpabio
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has appealed for urgent reforms in the nation’s healthcare system, declaring that quality medical care is not a privilege but a fundamental right of every Nigerian.
Speaking at the Public Hearing of the Senate Committee on Health (Secondary & Tertiary) on Thursday, Akpabio reiterated the Senate’s commitment to ensuring accessible and efficient healthcare services for all citizens.
In his address through the Deputy Senate leader, Oyetola Ashiru, the Senate President lamented the current state of the nation’s healthcare system.
He described it as a “failure we must refuse to accept,” underscoring that every preventable death represents not just the loss of life but the loss of a dream and a future contribution to the nation’s greatness.
“Whenever a Nigerian dies from a treatable ailment, we do not merely lose a life, we lose a dream, a future, and a piece of our nation’s greatness.
“We must resolve, with unyielding determination, that no more lives shall be lost due to lack of facilities, no more families shall grieve due to lack of hope, and no more compatriots shall perish due to lack of medical expertise,” he stated.
The Senate President equally highlighted the mass exodus of Nigerian medical professionals to foreign countries and the increasing number of citizens forced to seek treatment abroad.
He decried this situation as unacceptable, insisting that Nigeria must build a self-sufficient healthcare system that retains its best talents and provides quality medical care at home.
“We have watched as our citizens, faced with ailments that should be treated at home, are forced to embark on desperate journeys abroad in search of care. This is not the future we wish to bequeath to our children. This is not the Nigeria that we had sworn to serve,” Akpabio stated.
The public hearing focused on several key bills under consideration, aimed at revamping the country’s secondary and tertiary healthcare institutions, among which are:
Establishment of National Eye Centres in Adamawa and Kogi States, to address the rising cases of blindness and ensure specialized eye care for Nigerians.
Creation of a Federal Orthopaedic Hospital to provide advanced treatment for musculoskeletal conditions and trauma cases.
Federal Medical Centers Act (Amendment) Bill, to enhance service delivery and upgrade federal medical centers across the country.
Akpabio reassured Nigerians that the 10th Senate is fully committed to their well-being, pledging that the Federal Government would not ignore their pain or treat healthcare as a luxury, but as a fundamental right.
