Corruption responsible for poor health facilities in Nigeria – Centre

A non-governmental organization, Millennium Center for Training and Leadership has identified lack of political will and mismanagement of resources by authorities as the key factors responsible for poor health facilities in Nigeria.

DAILY POST reports that health facilities in Nigeria have continued to deteriorate, with the ruling class and other wealthy individuals resorting to foreign treatment, leaving poor citizens at the mercy of ill-equipped hospitals.

Addressing journalists in Enugu on Wednesday, President of the organization, Prince Okey-Joe Onuakalusi stated that Nigeria had the resources and capacity to put in place 21st century state-of-the-art medical equipment in all its health facilities across the nation.

He, however, lamented that it had remained in a sorry state owing to corruption and misplacement of priority by policy makers.

Onuakalusi spoke ahead of a one day National Conference on Health issues in Nigeria, with the theme: “Technology, As a Bridge For Health Security, Socio- Economic Stability And Brain Gain” scheduled to take place in Enugu today, Thursday.

He disclosed that Nigeria’s Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu will be the guest Speaker, while former Minister of Power and Energy, professor Chinedu Nebo, will chair the event.

He said some of the discussants will include professor Basden Onwubere, who is the Chairman, National Centre of Excellence for Cardio thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Dr. Uche Unigwe Head, Infectious Diseases Department and Coordinator University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Covid-19 management team, amongst others.

“We are expecting people from all walks of life. We have assembled the best brains and hands in the Health sector, in the Eastern region of Nigeria who will be speaking on different areas of health,” he stated.

According to him, at the end of the conference, the organizers will meet to evaluate the outcome of the deliberation with a view to coming out with a blueprint on the way forward.

“This conference became necessary because the national health issue has remained a serious problem in Nigeria,” Onuakalusi emphasized.

Corruption responsible for poor health facilities in Nigeria – Centre