Opinion
The One-Doctor Syndrome In Degema
I am constrained to echo the concerns of several residents in Degema Consulate and the adjoining communities and those who visit the hospital for medical attention on the grossly under-staffed state of Degema General Hospital.
The General Hospital is so strategically located that it is accessed easily by people living in most communities of Degema, Asari-Toru and Akuku-Toru Local Government Areas.
And because of its proximity and easy accessibility to many people, the hospital is a beehive for patients, who, more often than not, go home unattended to.
The reason is not far-fetched. The number of medical/health personnel in the hospital is grossly disproportionate to the number of people seeking medical attention, of which some cases are critical and require urgent attention. For instance, only one medical doctor was posted to the hospital and one can not expect him to work beyond the normal pace, if he must carry out a thorough examination on patients and make accurate or at least near-accurate diagnosis and prescriptions.
The one-doctor syndrome of the hospital does not help matters at all. As a man, limited by time and circumstances, it is impossible for one doctor to attend to about 200 patients (out-patients and those on admission). Can this be possible? Certainly, mental fatigue and boredom will ensue, especially giving the unconducive environment in which the staff work. And the attendant consequences can better be imagined than experienced.
Therefore, three or more doctors preferably specialists including, a gyneacologist, paediatrician should be posted to the hospital. By so doing, the policy of bringing health and medical care to the grassroot would be achieved.
It is pertinent to state that it was part of the health policy of the state government to make the Degema General Hospital a referral hospital. But this status is far from being achieved because of inadequate manpower, irregular power supply and relevant medical facilities. The Ministry of Health and the Hospitals Management Board should please take a statistics of what the Hospital needs with a view to providing them urgently. The sanctity of life should be regarded. Life is priceless, so no amount of money is too much to be injected into the hospital to save lives of the citizenry.
The time to act is now. More Doctors, more Midwives and Nurses, more Laboratory attendant’s drugs and equipment/facilities are the panacea to the plight of both patients and the few staff in the hospital.
Also important is the problem of accommodation for doctors and other medical personnel working in the hospital. They should be made to reside in Degema. This, the state government can do by providing conducive accomodation with necessary facilities to stem the lure of township residency. At present some of the staff come from Port Harcourt at their own timing. This trend, if not checked, will negate government’s effort in achieving its health policies. I hope relevant authorities will rise to this challenge.
Charles-Benibo wrote in from Degema.
Great I. Charles-Benibo
From all indications, Nigeria possesses enough human and material resources to become a true economic powerhouse in Africa. According to the National Population Commission (NPC, 2023), the country’s population has grown steadily within the last decade, presently standing at about 220 million people—mostly young, vibrant, and innovative. Nigeria also remains the sixth-largest oil producer in the world, with enormous reserves of gas, fertile agricultural land, and human capital.
Yet, despite this enormous potential, the country continues to grapple with underdevelopment, poverty, unemployment, and insecurity. Recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS, 2023) show that about 129 million Nigerians currently live below the poverty line. Most families can no longer afford basic necessities, even as the government continues to project a rosy economic picture.
The Subsidy Question
The removal of fuel subsidy in 2023 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been one of the most controversial policy decisions in Nigeria’s recent history. According to the president, subsidy removal was designed to reduce fiscal burden, unify the foreign exchange rate, attract investment, curb inflation, and discourage excessive government borrowing.
While these objectives are theoretically sound, the reality for ordinary Nigerians has been severe hardship. Fuel prices more than tripled, transportation costs surged, and food inflation—already high—rose above 30% (NBS, 2023). The World Bank (2023) estimates that an additional 7.1 million Nigerians were pushed into poverty after subsidy removal.
A Critical Economic View
As an economist, I argue that the problem was not subsidy removal itself—which was inevitable—but the timing, sequencing, and structural gaps in Nigeria’s implementation.
- Structural Miscalculation
Nigeria’s four state-owned refineries remain nonfunctional. By removing subsidies without local refining capacity, the government exposed the economy to import-price pass-through effects—where global oil price shocks translate directly into domestic inflation. This was not just a timing issue but a fundamental policy miscalculation.
- Neglect of Social Safety Nets
Countries like Indonesia (2005) and Ghana (2005) removed subsidies successfully only after introducing cash transfers, transport vouchers, and food subsidies for the poor (World Bank, 2005). Nigeria, however, implemented removal abruptly, shifting the fiscal burden directly onto households without protection.
- Failure to Secure Food and Energy Alternatives
Fuel subsidy removal amplified existing weaknesses in agriculture and energy. Instead of sequencing reforms, government left Nigerians without refinery capacity, renewable energy alternatives, or mechanized agricultural productivity—all of which could have cushioned the shock.
Political and Public Concerns
Prominent leaders have echoed these concerns. Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, described the subsidy removal as “good but wrongly timed.” Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party also faulted the government’s hasty approach. Human rights activists like Obodoekwe Stive stressed that refineries should have been made functional first, to reduce the suffering of citizens.
This is not just political rhetoric—it reflects a widespread economic reality. When inflation climbs above 30%, when purchasing power collapses, and when households cannot meet basic needs, the promise of reform becomes overshadowed by social pain.
Broader Implications
The consequences of this policy are multidimensional:
- Inflationary Pressures – Food inflation above 30% has made nutrition unaffordable for many households.
- Rising Poverty – 7.1 million Nigerians have been newly pushed into poverty (World Bank, 2023).
- Middle-Class Erosion – Rising transport, rent, and healthcare costs are squeezing household incomes.
- Debt Concerns – Despite promises, government borrowing has continued, raising sustainability questions.
- Public Distrust – When government promises savings but citizens feel only pain, trust in leadership erodes.
In effect, subsidy removal without structural readiness has widened inequality and eroded social stability.
Missed Opportunities
Nigeria’s leaders had the chance to approach subsidy removal differently:
- Refinery Rehabilitation – Ensuring local refining to reduce exposure to global oil price shocks.
- Renewable Energy Investment – Diversifying energy through solar, hydro, and wind to reduce reliance on imported petroleum.
- Agricultural Productivity – Mechanization, irrigation, and smallholder financing could have boosted food supply and stabilized prices.
- Social Safety Nets – Conditional cash transfers, food vouchers, and transport subsidies could have protected the most vulnerable.
Instead, reform came abruptly, leaving citizens to absorb all the pain while waiting for theoretical long-term benefits.
Conclusion: Reform With a Human Face
Fuel subsidy removal was inevitable, but Nigeria’s approach has worsened hardship for millions. True reform must go beyond fiscal savings to protect citizens.
Economic policy is not judged only by its efficiency but by its humanity. A well-sequenced reform could have balanced fiscal responsibility with equity, ensuring that ordinary Nigerians were not crushed under the weight of sudden change.
Nigeria has the resources, population, and resilience to lead Africa’s economy. But leadership requires foresight. It requires policies that are inclusive, humane, and strategically sequenced.
Reform without equity is displacement of poverty, not development. If Nigeria truly seeks progress, its policies must wear a human face.
References
- National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). (2023). Poverty and Inequality Report. Abuja.
- National Population Commission (NPC). (2023). Population Estimates. Abuja.
- World Bank. (2023). Nigeria Development Update. Washington, DC.
- World Bank. (2005). Fuel Subsidy Reforms: Lessons from Indonesia and Ghana. Washington, DC.
- OPEC. (2023). Annual Statistical Bulletin. Vienna.
By: Amarachi Amaugo
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