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It was great news to many when the Federal Government announced a free cesarean section for pregnant women. The government said this but are there measures put in place to make this work?
Everyone knows whatever is free in this country is likely not bound to work as when it had a price. Does Nigeria have appropriate and adequate infrastructure to keep doing free cesarean sections for pregnant women?
Will this concept of āfreeā harbor corruption in the healthcare system? Are levis still going to be paid by the parties concerned or the government have taken care of it all? How does the government want to make this work? Will the government put in an accountable system to make it work? In all, we hope bureaucracy will not be the order of the day to make this work.
The state of the Nigerian healthcare system
āHealthcare infrastructure in Nigeria is still underdeveloped and lacks modern medical facilities. The countryās healthcare indicators are some of the worst in Africa. It has one of the fastest growing populations globally with 5.5 live births per woman and a population growth rate of 3.2% annually. It is estimated to reach 400 million people by 2050, becoming the worldās third most populous country. Medical professionals are in short supply, with only about 35,000 doctors despite needing 237,000, according to WHO figures, partially due to the massive migration of healthcare workers overseas. Nigeria loses at least $2 billion every year to medical tourism, according to the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA).ā – International Trade Administration.
The birth rate in Nigeria is on a geometric progression despite the availability of contraceptives. Someone once blamed it all on the situation of the country- saying sex was the only way of escape the people had from the harsh economic situation of the country.
We cannot polish the fact that the Nigerian health-care system still needs a lot of reform. Indigenous doctors are constantly on the run to countries where they’ll receive better pay for the services.
Epileptic power supply as one of the problems facing the healthcare system
The ineffective electricity supply is one of the factors warping the Nigerian healthcare system. The University College Hospital, Ibadan is facing one of its constant electricity hiatus. This is so disapproving. Imagine tasking such a hospital with tons of cesarean sections with an epileptic power supply.
Doctors can still take deliveries with rechargeable lamps but can they carry out a cesarean under this condition?
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Free Cesarean section policy, a possible way out of maternal mortality
āThe overall prevalence of CS in facilities across Nigeria was 17.6%.We identified a higher prevalence of emergency CS (75.9%) compared to elective CS (24.3%). Evidence shows that if appropriately conducted, cesarean section (CS) reduces the odds of maternal death.ā – Prevalence, indications, and complications of cesarean section in health facilities across Nigeria: a systematic review and meta-analysis| BioMed Central
This new policy by the government is actually a way out to reducing the maternal mortality rate in Nigeria. Nigeria is the fourth highest country with maternal mortality rate with a rate of 576 per 100,000 according to UNICEF. If the healthcare system is properly fine tuned to fit the new policy, a lot of maternal mortality risks will be eliminated.
Cesarean section costs about N150,000- N300,000. This is a tangible cost to be cut out of the family’s budget. If taxpayersā money goes into this, then it is a good cause.We hope this new policy finds its stance easily in the Nigerian healthcare system.
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