Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party and ex-Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, has sharply criticised Nigeria’s healthcare system, calling for a fundamental shift in national priorities towards health, education, and poverty reduction.
Speaking as the keynote speaker at an event hosted by ANAP Doctors in North America and the University of Nigeria Alumni at Eko Hotel in Lagos, Obi discussed the theme, “Beyond Borders – Uniting for Medical Excellence, Strengthening Our Alumni, and Inspiring the Next Generation.”
In his statement shared via X on Sunday, Obi highlighted the importance of assessing development by improvements in the Human Development Index, rather than just physical infrastructure.
He stated, “The most critical measures of development are not physical infrastructure, such as road construction or buildings, but health, which is measured by the Human Development Index.” He added, “This is why we say, ‘Health is wealth,’ along with education and lifting people out of poverty.”
Obi painted a grim picture of Nigeria’s healthcare situation, noting that over 70% of the country’s primary healthcare centres are non-functional due to inadequate facilities and lack of trained personnel.
He also revealed that Nigeria currently has only about 10% of the recommended doctor-to-population ratio, which falls far below global standards.
“Currently, Nigeria has only about 10% of the doctor-to-population ratio recommended by global standards,” Obi said.
In his comparison with India, Obi noted that despite having a population roughly seven times the size of Nigeria’s, India has achieved about 80% of the recommended doctor-to-population ratio.
He further mentioned India’s efforts to expand its medical colleges, emphasizing the difference in approach between the two nations.
He also referenced South Africa’s healthcare budget, which for the 2024/2025 fiscal year is more than double Nigeria’s healthcare allocation from 2021 to 2025, despite Nigeria having a population more than three times South Africa’s.
Obi lamented the country’s heavy borrowing, which he argued has not led to tangible improvements in the sector. “We have borrowed heavily to support our healthcare system, securing several billions of dollars from multilateral agencies. However, these investments have not resulted in significant improvements,” he said.
Obi further revealed that Nigeria has borrowed over $11 billion from the World Bank alone between 2023 and now for healthcare and medical education, but the sector remains in dire straits.
“Our budgeting and borrowed funds should be directed towards the critical needs of healthcare, education, and poverty alleviation,” Obi insisted.
He concluded by urging a rethinking of the country’s planning and budgeting strategies, emphasising that government expenditure must be realigned to meet the pressing needs in healthcare, medical education, and access to quality care.
“We must urgently realign our planning, budgeting, and expenditures to ensure that borrowed funds are channelled towards areas of critical need—such as healthcare, medical education, and access to quality care that will truly benefit the population and create a lasting, positive impact,” Obi stressed.
In his closing remarks, Obi expressed gratitude to the event’s organisers, acknowledging their efforts in raising $1 million for healthcare initiatives.
“My sincere gratitude to the university alumni for organising the effort to raise $1 million for this noble initiative,” he said, also commending the commitment and generosity of the alumni, professionals, and friends of UNCOMMA.
