With the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic in Nigeria, many hoped that an opportunity had come for the pathetic state of the nation’s health system to be addressed.
The poor infrastructure in the government-owned health facilities, the pitiable working conditions of health workers, poor remunerations and allowances and other incentives were brought to the fore and the opinion of quite a lot of people was like “yes, Covid-19 is deadly and it might claim the lives of many citizens but in the end, going by the collaborative efforts of government and the private sector toward dealing with the epidemic, the health system would never remain the same.”
Recall that the government projected that it would need US$330 million to control Covid-19 pandemic but it raised more than US$560.52 million, of which more than 90 per cent came from the private sector and the donor/philanthropist community.
People were, therefore, optimistic that the welfare of workers in the health sector will be prioritised, thereby stemming the industrial actions that have characterised the sector for decades, and that the health sector will be strengthened so that there will be no need to run helter-skelter during a health crisis as was seen at the onset of Covid-19.
But how wrong they were! It’s about a year and six months since the index case of Covid-19 was recorded in the country and there has not been any noticeable change in the health sector. The numerous problems of the health facilities in the country remain as they were and the political leaders and some well-placed individuals who were compelled to use them during the lockdown, have again dumped them, seeking medical care in other countries.
 The health workers are still singing the old song of “no allowance, delayed salaries, poor working conditions and many others, being part of the reasons for the on-going National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) strike. The nationwide strike which was suspended in April this year after some agreements were reached between the doctors and the federal government, was resumed on Monday, following the alleged failure of the government to keep to its own side of the bargain.
According to NARD president, Dr Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi, the industrial action is to push government to honour its agreement on payment of arrears of hazard allowance as well as insurance benefits to families of doctors who have died of the virus, payment of several months’ salaries owed doctors in many states, among other demands
Why the minister of health, the minister of labour and other government officials that are supposed to address the issues of the doctors would not nip matters in the bud and save the nation from the pain associated with the strike is still a puzzle. The National Hospital, Abuja NARD president, Dr Akanimo Ebong, appearing on national television on Wednesday narrated how difficult it was sometimes for the association to reach government officials to table their demands, noting that “there is usually no negotiation done until we go on strike. Once we suspend a strike, the negotiation stops”.
That is definitely not the attribute of responsible leadership. A responsible government should be able to keep its word. As an author, Anthony Hill, admonished, “keep every promise you make and only make promises you can keep”.
 During one of the briefings by the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19, the Minister of State for Health, Dr Olorunnimbe Mamora, was quoted as saying that the government had released about $53 million for death-in-service insurance to health workers. Where then is the money, if  NARD, which makes up the bulk of the doctors in government-owned hospitals, is claiming that only one out of 19 of its members who died in line of duty has been paid the insurance benefit? Something must be wrong somewhere and the authorities should dig into the matter.
Another issue is that of owing about two years’ salaries to doctors in some states.  For heaven’s sake, how do the governments of these states expect these doctors and their families to survive? It has become the habit of some governors to deny workers their merited allowances, promotion, salaries and other benefits for whatever reasons they may adduce and it is most unfortunate.
Management of hospitals across the country has continued to lament the brain drain in the health sector and it is this glaring insensitivity towards health care in the country that fuels the exodus. How can a doctor being owed 19 months’ salary or who does not have equipment to work with, and who has no life insurance be encouraged to be patriotic and stay in the country and help the system work when he has better offers out there?
And one wonders what becomes the fate of the country, especially the poor masses who may not have the resources to run to the best hospitals overseas for treatment if measures are not put in place to curtail the brain-drain or to reduce the frequency of doctors strikes in the country. Last month, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) raised alarm over the detection of the more contagious Delta variant of Covid-19 and the likelihood of a third wave of the disease, the Federal Capital Territory is still battling with an outbreak of cholera which has claimed many lives as well as an outbreak of gastro-enteritis in Sokoto State, among other health challenges in different parts of the country.
We, therefore, cannot afford to allow our doctors to desert the country or stay away from the hospitals.  It is imperative that sincere attention should be paid to NARD’s demands and the health sector in general. Budgetary allocation to the health sector at both federal and state levels should be increased significantly, even as more private organisations and good spirited individuals should be encouraged to invest in the health sector. But without checking the corruption in the health sector, no amount of investment made towards the development of the sector will bear the desired result.

By: Calista Ezeaku