Sixty-five years after Nigeria attained independence, the country’s health sector is still plagued by deep-rooted challenges, according to the Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Lagos State Chapter, Dr Sahedd Babajide.

Speaking on the state of the nation’s healthcare, Babajide lamented that despite repeated reforms and huge investments, the system remains fragile and incapable of delivering equitable, quality services to Nigerians.

One of the greatest threats, he noted, is the persistent brain drain, popularly referred to as the “Japa syndrome,” where doctors and other medical professionals leave in droves for better opportunities abroad. He stressed that reversing the trend will require competitive remuneration, tax-free call duty allowances, strong welfare packages, continuous training and research support, infrastructure upgrades, and a more enabling work environment.

On funding, Babajide described healthcare financing as “grossly inadequate.” He revealed that both federal and state governments currently dedicate only about 4–6% of their annual budgets to health, far below the 15% benchmark agreed upon by African leaders under the 2001 Abuja Declaration. He also faulted the diversion of scarce resources into “elephant projects” that yield little or no benefit to the people.

The NMA chairman lamented the neglect of primary healthcare facilities, warning that without a functional base system, secondary and tertiary institutions will remain underdeveloped. According to him, poor infrastructure, obsolete equipment, and insufficient facilities make the sector unattractive for practitioners and unsafe for patients.

He expressed concern that Nigeria is ill-prepared for public health emergencies, epidemics, or disasters, while medical tourism continues to drain national resources because of a lack of political will to transform domestic healthcare delivery.

To reposition the sector, Babajide recommended:

Upgrading and standardising primary, secondary, and tertiary health systems.

Adequate healthcare financing with prudent management, transparent procurement, and regular auditing.

Defined career progression paths for healthcare workers and the appointment of competent professionals as institutional leaders.

Establishment of Infectious Disease Hospitals, IDHs, and Trauma Centres in every state and the Federal Capital Territory.

Development of multi-specialty hospitals for paediatrics, renal care, cardiac treatment, oncology, and neurosurgery.

Strengthening the National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS, to expand coverage and improve service delivery.

Babajide maintained that unless urgent reforms are implemented, Nigeria risks further deterioration of its healthcare system, with dire consequences for both citizens and the economy.

65 years after independence, Nigeria’s healthcare still in crisis – Lagos NMA