The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced the implementation of a Presidential Executive Order aimed at strengthening local production of healthcare products, which will reduce the cost of medical equipment and consumables.
According to the NCS, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved the guidelines for this initiative through the Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Olawale Edun.As part of the directive, the government has granted a two-year exemption from import duty and Value Added Tax (VAT) on essential raw materials used in pharmaceutical production.
These include Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), excipients, and other key materials required for manufacturing essential medicines, Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs), Rapid Diagnostic Kits, reagents, and packaging materials.
To ensure that only qualified manufacturers benefit from these incentives, eligibility is restricted to pharmaceutical producers recognised by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
Additionally, such manufacturers must possess a valid Tax Identification Number (TIN).In a move to enhance transparency and accountability, the NCS will generate quarterly reports detailing all importations under the policy.
These reports will include information on importers, quantities, and the value of imported items to ensure proper oversight.Reaffirming its commitment to supporting government policies, the NCS emphasised its role in trade facilitation, border security, and national development.
It also called on all stakeholders, including importers, manufacturers, and relevant government agencies, to collaborate in ensuring the success of this initiative.
“The successful implementation of this policy requires collaboration from all stakeholders, including importers, manufacturers, and relevant government agencies. Through our collective efforts, we can achieve the shared goal of a robust healthcare sector that meets the needs of all Nigerians,” the statement read.
The Plateau State First Lady, Barr. Helen Caleb Mutfwang has stated that the Project 10 Million campaign is dedicated to screening and managing hypertension and diabetes mellitus in the state.
According to her, the project campaign represents a critical mission to improve the health and quality of life of the people of Plateau State. The state’s goal is to change lives, save lives, and work towards a healthier, stronger, and more vibrant Plateau.
Barr. Helen explained that the initiative is about screening and increasing public awareness, gathering essential data, and fostering collaboration among stakeholders to make health services more accessible across the states and federal capital territory.
The First Lady added that by working together, the state can implement effective communication and data management strategies to guide interventions and improve Nigeria’s health and well-being.
Barr. (Mrs.) Mutfwang, who commended the Nigeria Health Commissioners Forum (NHCF) for spearheading and domesticating the campaign, acknowledged its impact on the health and quality of life of the citizens, adding that it has the primary objective of screening over 200,000 Plateau residents for hypertension and diabetes and the secondary objective of collecting data on the prevalence of non-communicable diseases to better the state health policy and planning, among others.
Speaking earlier was the State Commissioner of Health, Dr Cletus Bako Shurkuk, who said the Project 10 Million is a national project with the theme: “KNOW YOUR NUMBER, CONTROL YOUR NUMBER”, saying it is aimed at screening 10 million Nigerians for hypertension and diabetes mellitus, which marks a significant step in the fight against non-communicable Diseases.
According to him, the project aims to provide immediate counselling and referral, link newly diagnosed patients to treatment facilities, increase public awareness about hypertension and diabetes, and improve data collection.
Shurkuk explained that selected primary and secondary healthcare facilities would screen 200,000 people across the seventeen local government areas.
He appreciated Barr. Helen Caleb Mutfwang for accepting to flag off the program and also serve as an ambassador. He called on people to take the screening exercises to learn about their blood pressure and sugar levels.
In a closing remark, the Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry of Health, Mr Gayi Timothy Gayi, appreciated Barr. Helen Caleb Mutfwang, the government, and development partners, among others, for gracing the occasion, urging the people to avail themselves to know their health status.
The high point of the event was the decoration of the First Lady as an ambassador of the project and her screening to determine her blood pressure level.
Health is a fundamental priority that any government should address. When citizens are healthy, the entire state benefits. However, it is disheartening when the government neglects its health sector.
The Federal Government of Nigeria has increased its expenditure on public health over the years to enhance public health outcomes, but much still needs to be done. Public health requires ongoing efforts, and continuous improvement remains a crucial goal. The numerous and serious healthcare challenges in the country arise from poor health infrastructure, inadequate education, hygiene and sanitation issues, and extreme poverty and hunger.
The Health department plays a critical role in educating people about unforeseen infectious diseases and interventions for alleviation.
Public health infrastructure provides communities, states and the nation as a whole with the ability to prevent diseases, promote health and respond to both ongoing and emerging challenges to health.
Since its independence, Nigeria’s health sector has been named one of the worst in Africa. Issues include lack of coordination, fragmentation of services, scarcity of medical resources, including drugs and supplies, inadequate and decaying infrastructure, inequity in resource distribution, and access to care.
According to the National Institute of Health, the Nigerian healthcare system is poorly developed and has suffered several setbacks, especially at the local government level. No adequate and functional surveillance systems have been created;hence, there is no tracking system to monitor the outbreak of infectious diseases, bioterrorism, chemical poisoning, etc.
Nigeria’s hospitals and emergency services do not meet world standards. The availability of healthcare institutions and professionals is limited, while long distances travelling for healthcare are not affordable. The healthcare costs and expenditures related to the prevention and treatment of diseases are rising.
Many primary healthcare centres across Nigeria are dilapidated, have low staff, have poor electricity, and have unclean water, and they cannot efficiently serve people in rural areas. Many pregnant women still seek the services of traditional birth attendants for delivery, and even many children in rural areas miss out on routine immunisations, which are meant to be one of the responsibilities of effective primary healthcare centres.
Due to the poor state of the health sector, there has been a constant mass migration of doctors and health professionals out of the country. This relates to ongoing strikes and poor working conditions in healthcare delivery centres. The challenges faced by Nigeria’s healthcare system include inadequate hygiene and sanitation, insufficient financial investments, and alimited workforce and facilities.
Establishing healthcare institutions and insurance schemes, increasing the workforce, and improving hygiene and treatment conditions can help address these challenges. Implementing policies for maternal health and healthcare reforms can lead to better health outcomes.
Fatima Dauda Salihu wrote from Bayero University, Kano.
Yelwa Zangam is a gridlocked, rural area located in Jos North Local Government, Plateau State, North-Central, Nigeria. It has an estimated population of over 10,000 inhabitants and its nearest villages. The hinterland is just 21 minutes’ drive from the University of Jos, main campus. Most of the people are agrarian farmers and living below a minimal income.
Nigeria operates a three tier system of government, consist the federal, the state and the local government. Similarly, the Nigerian health system functions along such relations. Primary health care is at the local government stage, Secondary health care is managed by the state and the tertiary health system by maintained by the Federal.
Primary Health care is known for intervening, caring and controlling communicable diseases and non-communicable diseases, taking care of antenatal and post-natal, observing child growth, dispensing vaccines to children and Health Education and Community Mobilization.
According to the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), a body oversees, coordinates and regulates the standard of Primary Health Care in Nigeria. The minimum infrastructural requirements for such a health centre; are as follows; a least 13 rooms in good condition with functional doors and netted windows, separated female and male words toilets, water supply (borehole), electricity (or alternative source of power), sanitary waste collection spot, waste disposal site and staff accommodation. However, it has a staff station, two consulting rooms, two delivery rooms (labour rooms), maternity sections, and a laboratory and the building must be fenced.
The United Nations, Refugee Agency (UNCHR) stated in its ‘Emergency Handbook the primary healthcare workforce is composed of a wide range of health professionals, including medical doctors, nurses, midwives, clinical officers or physician assistants, laboratory technicians, pharmacists, community health workers, managerial and supporting staff.
Yelwan Zangam’s Primary Health care began 31 years ago and was built by the local government in 2001 through direct allocations from federation funds. Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunization, an international organisation under a sub-body ‘GAVI FUNDS’ partnered with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) for the renovating the centre in 2011.
Now, the unfenced facility faced a series of challenges; a leak roofing with only 6 rooms apart from the labour room, unkempt rooms in shambles conditions, single working toilets, no water supply, shortage of mattresses, obsolete medical equipment, dearth of medical personnel and constants insufficiency of drugs supply problems. Since its existence, the hospital has not been connected to an electric power source.
Fali Emmanuel John is a Health Officer in primary health care. He narrates a dire condition “We are facing a lot of problems in maintaining the hospital. Firstly, non-availability of electricity and solar systems for the storage of children’s vaccines, even if there is electricity. It’s compulsory to have a solar system. Due to power instability in Nigeria, so that we can render vaccination daily. Lack of electricity is a big setback to the community and the hospital. Secondly, our personnel need staff quarters. Primary health care is established for 24-hour services. Definitely, staff accommodation should be within the vicinity”.
He reiterates “The community starts building a staff quarters. But they are overstrained. The building is uncompleted”.
Mr. John lamented “The hospital is supposed to have 10 to 20 medical staff. According to medical ethics, working hours range from three shifts; morning, afternoon and evening (night). The deficiency of personnel here is too bad. We only have 3 medical doctors. Sometimes 1 medical doctor works for 24 hours, which is unprofessional and painful to us”.
“Issues concerning drugs, the government are making a little effort. We urged for more. Before the community donated money for drugs and other essentials”, he added.
Fauziya Musa Abdullahi is a nursing mother, who visits the hospital often for antenatal services and delivers her 6-month son to primary health care. She expresses “The most difficulty, women encounter is during night hours. For example, if a woman came to give birth. On certain occasions, there is no doctor available”.
She added “Sometimes, drugs are not available. It’s for patients to buy from the city. During, my last admission here. I wait for a long moment. Before drugs, injections and intravenous drips were bought. If authorities get involved and provide drugs in a hospital. It will be good for the patient to have treatment in any given situation”.
Usman Garba Danladi, an assistant sectary to the community and for years among the people work in progress of Yelwa Zangam community, says “For now, a local agency, Plateau State Contributory Health Care Management Agency (PLASCHEMA), supplies drugs”.
He shared “30 years ago, local government authority grants a fund under a scheme ‘REVOLVING FUNDS’, it was used to supply drugs and other necessary items. The drugs were sold to patients at affordable prices”.
“Financial challenges for buying drugs. Some patients run away with complicated health issues”, he cried out.
Nigeria’s highest court, on 11 July passed a judgement for local government to have full autonomy. Henceforth, the allocation from the federation account is to be funded directly into the local government, not through the state government ‘Joint account’. Mr. Danladi chip in “I am dreamt for local government to be independent. In the past, primary health care was managed from local government funds, not state government. Certainly, with this development electricity will be installed, more workforce and enough drugs to the patients and the facility will be improved”.
Mr John remarks “I am grateful to Almighty God for the Supreme Court’s verdict to allow local government to use their money for local affairs. Local government autonomy is a great success to health sectors”.
Abdullahi D. Hassan writes from Jos in Plateau State and can be reached via +234 803 323 7977.
Residents of Jibawa Community in Gaya Local Government Area, Kano State, are sounding the alarm over the dire condition of their local healthcare centre.
The facility, which serves a population of over 13,000, including vulnerable women and children, has deteriorated to a shocking state, posing a significant threat to their health and wellbeing.
Photos of the clinic reveal a hazardous environment, with collapsed ceilings and wards overrun by bats, making it uninhabitable for patients.
The situation is further exacerbated by the lack of medical personnel and equipment, leaving residents to fend for themselves in times of medical need.
Expectant mothers are forced to embark on a treacherous 5-kilometre journey to neighbouring communities in search of healthcare, while others face a harrowing experience in their quest for medical attention.
In a desperate plea for help, the community is calling on the Kano State government, Federal Ministry of Health, and Kano Ministry of Health to intervene and address the facility’s deplorable state.
They are urging for immediate reconstruction, equipping, and staffing of the healthcare center to ensure residents have access to quality medical care.
