Health
Appraising and Re-tooling Nigeria’s Public Health Delivery Model in the Post COVID-19 Era
By Christopher Samuel
That the ravaging COVID-19 which has since the beginning of the year spread rapidly around the globe could leave a very serious public health crisis in its wake is no longer news.
In many parts of the world, attention is shifting to how to concretize local, regional and continental health partnerships that focus on not just how to successfully contain or tackle the virus, but, more importantly, to ensure that life-saving and essential health delivery services are sustained and maintained to entrench a robust system that maximizes the learnings gained from the current pandemic.
Like other developing countries, Nigeria now, more than ever before, has to seriously confront the challenge of creating a modern health services delivery system that guarantees efficient, fast and accessible solutions capable of curtailing fatalities associated with common diseases and their devastating impact on families, communities, and development.
While speaking recently on the threat of malaria in the country, the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, revealed that “though fever testing amongst children under 5 has increased consistently from 5% in 2010 to 11% in 2013, to 13% in 2015 and 14% in 2018, it is still very low when compared with the second objective of the Malaria Strategic plan which is to test all care-seeking persons with suspected malaria using RDT or microscopy.”
According to the World Malaria Report, Nigeria still accounts for 25% of the global malaria burden and 19% of global malaria deaths. Nigeria, it is estimated accounts for 81,640 annual malaria deaths – about 9 deaths per hour – and the situation is worsened by very low levels of investment in malaria elimination at both the sub-national levels and the private sector.
Apart from the frightening mortality and morbidity data on malaria, lack of access to functional health services delivery system has also been responsible for avoidable havoc caused by many other common but potentially deadly illnesses, such as STDs, diarrhoea, hypertension, and diabetes on a large segment of the 52% of the country’s population that lives in the rural areas.
To compound the situation, the country’s rural areas mostly lack good and functional infrastructure while the unavailability of competent healthcare personnel, coupled with high levels of poverty and illiteracy continue to make public health a daunting task in the country
Despite the country’s strategic position in Africa, it is highly underserved in the health care delivery sphere. Health resources such as facilities, personnel and medical equipment are inadequate, especially in rural areas.
Latest data from a survey of Africa’s 10 largest economies show that only Ethiopia has fewer hospital beds per capita than Nigeria. The most recent WHO data puts the number of hospital beds at only five per 10,000 people in Nigeria.
Beyond hospital beds, however, public healthcare delivery is hampered more by the inadequacy of healthcare resources particularly personnel, drugs and other medical equipment needed for holistic patient treatment.
For instance, the doctor to patient ratio is currently 1:6000. Most of the available qualified doctors are concentrated in urban cities and towns while the rural areas have next to nothing, thereby leaving room for quacks and other unqualified hands to tend to citizens’ health needs.
This poor picture makes the healthcare system particularly fragile and always at major risk of being overwhelmed at the breakout or in the aftermath of any pandemic with a serious presence in the country.
Yet, as an important element of national security, the need for public health is non-negotiable. Public health not only functions to provide adequate and timely medical care but also tracks, monitors, and controls disease outbreaks.
The Nigerian health care environment has suffered several infectious disease outbreaks year after year. Hence, there is a need to tackle the problem decisively now in order to forestall a repeat of the chaotic national response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
While the government has regularly come up with reforms to address the wide-ranging issues in the health care system, implementation has sadly been poor.
According to the 2009 communique of the National Health Conference, health care system remains weak as evidenced by lack of coordination, fragmentation of services, the dearth of resources, including drug and supplies, inadequate and decaying infrastructure, inequity in resource distribution, lack of access to care and a very deplorable quality of care. The communique also pinpointed a lack of clarity of roles and responsibilities among the different levels of government to have compounded the situation.
To further underline the fact that the Nigerian health care system is poorly developed, experts have often observed that there are no discernible and well maintained adequate and functional surveillance systems in the sector.
A successful modern-day health care delivery model requires routine surveillance and medical intelligence as the backbone of the health sector. This is because medical intelligence and surveillance represent a very useful component in the health care system and control of diseases outbreak.
The provision of timely information aimed at combating possible health menace among many other things is an important function of public health.
Hence, inadequate tracking techniques in the public health sector can lead to huge health insecurity, and thereby endanger national development, peace, and security.
There is, therefore, an increasing role of automated-based medical intelligence and surveillance systems to complement the traditional manual pattern of document retrieval in an advanced medical setting as seen in western and European countries.
Given the above prognosis, the primary challenge confronting the country’s public health today could, therefore, be framed as how to create and sustain an information-rich and patient-focused health care system that reliably delivers high-quality care.
Learning from experience is crucial, both for effective emergency response and to rebuild for the future.
Past experiences have shown that in the wake of health pandemics, the government has often been discovered to have diverted statutory health budget and resources to tackle the immediate challenge of the pandemic. This often leaves the healthcare services delivery sector more fragile, weaker and more overwhelmed, especially in the efforts to contain common citizen health needs.
For instance, in the aftermath of the Ebola crisis, many people died because of the inability of the overwhelmed health systems to treat malaria, HIV, and tuberculosis than from Ebola itself.
A similar trend can only be avoided in the aftermath of this fight against COVID-19 if efforts are geared towards putting in place a proactive, revolutionary and easily affordable and accessible health services delivery the model that can ride on the strong deployment of technology to strengthen healthcare accessibility at the grassroots.
Nigeria needs to urgently come up with an innovative approach to creating different layers of health services delivery model that can deliver effective and efficient medical services to the most vulnerable in society, to achieve the best health outcomes, such that location and socio-economic status will not be a barrier to accessing quality healthcare services. This need to also be done as cheaply as possible, given the dwindling economic fortunes of the country.
In this regard, the country needs to look towards the innovative and revolutionary community health hub idea which is capable of leveraging technology to offer a holistic solution to the identified gaps in the existing healthcare delivery systems, particularly in the underserved areas, as a way of maximizing the scarce human resources for health (HRH).
The best of this community health hub ideas is grounded on tele-healthcare model and not the anachronistic brick and mortar community healthcare facility model.
The growing popularity, spread, reach and utility value of mobile telephony and other digital devices should challenge health administrators and service providers to think out of the box in coming up with solutions that can deliver efficient health services to the majority of Nigerians, especially in the lower socio-economic cadre.
The current pandemic has demonstrated the central importance of health in our national life — without it, we have nothing. It has also shown how we can do things differently as regards to making our public healthcare system truly patient-focused.
We should not expect the world to stand still for us to move at a pedestrian pace when everybody else is sprinting to make their systems better.
Christopher Samuel is the Project Coordinator for Telehealth Nigeria Initiative (TENI) based in FCT, Abuja.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A 1.5 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine has been donated to the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, Anambra State, by the corporate social responsibility arm of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, NNPC Foundation.
In a statement on Sunday by its Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Mr Andy Odeh, the state-owned oil organisation said the medical item was given to the healthcare institution as part of its commitment to improving healthcare access and strengthening medical infrastructure across Nigeria.
The MRI system is expected to significantly improve access to advanced diagnostic imaging services for millions of Nigerians across the South-East (Anambra, Enugu, Imo, Abia and Ebonyi States) as well as neighbouring Delta State.
The foundation also provided critical supporting infrastructure, including RF shielding systems, chillers, backup UPS systems, electrical installations, specialised imaging accessories, ventilation systems, CCTV and oxygen monitoring systems, intercom communication facilities, and other patient comfort technologies designed to ensure optimal operation of the facility.
Before now, patients requiring advanced MRI diagnostic services often faced prolonged waiting periods, exorbitant costs, and the burden of travelling long distances in search of functional imaging centres.
But it is believed that the intervention of the NNPC Foundation would provide succour to patients.
At the presentation of the items to the institution over the weekend, the chief executive of the NNPC, Mr Bashir Bayo Ojulari, represented by the Managing Director of NNPC Foundation, Mrs Emmanuella Arukwe, described the intervention as a strategic investment in healthcare access, diagnostic precision, and improved patient outcomes, noting that the facility aligns with the company’s commitment to building sustainable systems and impactful national institutions.
“The installation of the MRI in NAUTH exemplifies our commitment, as our intent is to build enduring institutions, sustainable systems and legacies. This intervention aligns with our conviction that access to quality healthcare underpins human dignity, longevity and economic productivity,” Mr Ojulari stated.
He described the company’s social investments as viable currencies that strengthen the relationship between the Company’s core mandate of providing and managing energy for Nigerians and meeting stakeholders’ expectations.
In his remarks, the Governor of Anambra State, Mr Charles Soludo, who was represented by the Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Obidike, said the intervention would enhance safe and precise diagnosis and treatment for patients across the South-East region.
He also commended NNPC Foundation for donating the MRI facility to the state, noting that the intervention would significantly improve access to quality healthcare services for the people.
The Chief Medical Director of NAUTH, Prof Joseph Ugboaja, thanked the donor for the items, saying NNPC Foundation has demonstrated that corporate social responsibility is not just a policy statement but a lifeline for institutions like ours.
“For too long, patients in our catchment area have had to travel long distances to access this level of diagnostic precision, often at prohibitive costs. With this installation, we will eliminate that burden,” he enthused.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria has launched a €4.2 million programme supported by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to strengthen the country’s capacity to detect and respond to disease outbreaks.
The initiative, known as the EU Support to Public Health Institutes in Nigeria (EU SPIN), will be carried out over four years in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
It is aimed at improving the performance of selected public health institutions through better coordination, faster information sharing and enhanced workforce capacity.
Speaking at the launch in Abuja on Monday, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Mr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, described the programme as a significant step towards strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system.
“This initiative is designed to strengthen our health institutions, and it is truly a welcome development. It will improve the well-being of Nigerians, especially our vulnerable populations,” he said, noting that it aligns with the federal government’s broader health reform agenda.
Nigeria continues to face a dual health burden, with recurring infectious disease outbreaks alongside a growing prevalence of non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes.
According to the WHO, non-communicable diseases now account for 27 per cent of deaths in the country, while malaria alone contributes about 30 per cent of global malaria fatalities.
Recurrent outbreaks of cholera, diphtheria, Lassa fever, meningitis and Mpox also remain a major public health concern.
The EU SPIN programme is expected to address systemic gaps that slow outbreak response by strengthening collaboration among public health institutions and clarifying roles across federal, state and local levels.
It will also support real-time data systems to enable quicker and more informed decision-making during health emergencies.
A key component of the initiative is workforce development, with plans to train up to 75 per cent of public health staff in leadership, prevention and response strategies, as well as digital skills.
The European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Gautier Mignon, said the programme reflects a shared commitment to building resilient health systems.
“Through EU SPIN, the European Union is investing in strong, digitally enabled public health institutions in Nigeria. This partnership underscores our commitment to health security and sustainable systems strengthening,” he said.
Also speaking, the WHO Representative in Nigeria, Mr Pavel Ursu, noted that improved coordination and digital tools would enhance the country’s ability to protect lives.
“By improving coordination, skills and digital tools, the project will help protect lives and keep communities healthier,” he said.
Officials said the programme would ultimately strengthen links between public health systems and primary healthcare services, ensuring that communities benefit from faster and more effective responses to health threats.
By 2028, the initiative is expected to deliver more efficient inter-agency coordination, clearer institutional responsibilities and more reliable public health data nationwide, with progress tracked through national monitoring systems and periodic reviews involving government and development partners.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
To achieve a malaria-free Nigeria, a leading Health Maintenance Organisation (HMO) with a robust nationwide presence, SUNU Health Nigeria Limited, has called for a wider adoption of HMO packages for citizens.
It stressed that managed care provides a critical safety net, ensuring families can access quality preventive services without the burden of immediate, high costs, adding that this structured approach transforms healthcare from an unpredictable expense into a manageable, guaranteed service.
The company, which officially unveiled a comprehensive strategic roadmap aimed at drastically cutting down on malaria-related deaths, emphasised that the disease can be eradicated if citizens and stakeholders adopt consistent preventive measures.
“Eradication is within our reach if we synchronise our efforts,” the chief operating officer of SUNU Health, Dr Faith Nwachi, said, noting that the tools for victory range from environmental hygiene to the consistent use of treated nets, which are easily accessible to every Nigerian.
The organisation noted that it came up with the latest framework to significantly reduce the disease burden that has historically hindered Nigeria’s productivity and public health stability.
The urgency of this intervention is underscored by concerning data from late 2025, which revealed a sharp upward trend in cases, it stated.
With over 24.5 million confirmed cases reported in the first nine months of last year alone, the 2026 landscape demands aggressive action. Currently, malaria remains a leading cause of mortality, responsible for approximately 30 per cent of child deaths and 11 per cent of maternal deaths annually.
A central pillar of the roadmap is a focus on preventative care. As of early 2026, according to the World Health Organisation, malaria still accounts for nearly 30 per cent of all hospital admissions in Nigeria.
By addressing the root causes and transmission cycles, SUNU Health seeks to drastically lower these statistics, ensuring Nigerians can lead more active lives without the constant threat of infection.
Dr Nwachi further underscored the economic necessity of this shift, stating that “prevention is significantly cheaper than cure.”
The financial toll on the Nigerian economy is staggering, with billions of Naira lost annually to treatments and diminished man-hours. For the average family, frequent bouts of illness lead to catastrophic out-of-pocket expenses that undermine financial security.
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