The National Publicity
Secretary, Association of General Medicine Practioners of Nigeria (AGMPN), Dr Iyke Odo has flayed Nigerians capacity to meet the target   for the millemium  Development Goals (MDGs). to provide health for all by  2015.
He explained that as it stands, Nigeria has one of the worst health indices in the world, such as infant mortality, malaria scourge, HIV etc, is ravaying the nation.
“Personnel training is still far from being what it should and government is yet to truly accept that the health sector deserves to be protected, developed and equipped,” he added.
The AGMPN national publicity secretary, further said part of the problem plaguing Nigeria health sector was medical tourism,  saying that government and indeed the people have not yet come to accept that whatever is possible anywhere in the world “is possible here”.
According to him, “they have not yet come to accept that rather than spending hard earned tax payers money and the freely  given money from oil to developing other nations by flying government officials abroad for treatment our health sector should be developed.
They have allowed the average Nigeria develop a new mentality that if we don’t go outside for any ailment ranging from common, diminising vision to simple health care check ups, have not get well.” “It is a new class syndrome, which is further deminshy the value of the health indices in the country,” he lamented.
He however expressed optimism that, with what is on ground, it is possible to make some head way by 2015 lf government sets its heart to it. if we start today with what we’ve put on ground, we can still get somewhere by 2015, because, I don believe in miracles, it is possible that what we’ve not been able to do five years ago we can do in six months. I know that if you start of a journey and you truly have a target and your vision is strong and the and committed, if you do not score 90 percent you can score 80 per cent, which is still adistructive grade”, he stated.

Tonye Nria-Dappa

Representative of Plateau State Commissioner for Health, Mr Ezekiel Afom (Right), presenting hospital equipment to Director, Primary Health Care, Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau, Mr Benedict Auta, during the distribution of hospital equipment to Local Government Areas and communities under the MDGs intervention in Jos, recently. With them is Coordinator, Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Plateau State, Mr Peter Gai.