The African Health Observatory Platform on Health Systems and Policies states that Nigeria’s health system is performing at only 45 per cent, below the African regional average of 56 per cent.

This is according to the first edition of its report on Country Health System and Services Profiles, which are comprehensive reviews of the health systems and services in African countries.

Nigeria’s profile was published by the Health Policy Research Group at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, which serves as the Nigerian National Centre for AHOP.

It was produced with support from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the World Health Organisation–African Region.

This is contained in a statement signed by Obinna Onwujekwe, director of Nigeria’s National Centre for AHOP and coordinator of the Health Policy Research Group at the University of Nigeria.

Mr Onwujekwe said the report, to be unveiled on October 8, showed that health outcomes had not matched the series of sector reforms and spending in the country, with government expenditure among the lowest in Africa.

According to the profile, health system performance outputs, including access to, demand for, and quality of health services, have improved over the last decade but remain insufficient to achieve universal health coverage by 2030.

It stated that, despite progress, Nigeria’s absolute coverage of essential services was relatively low, at 1.7 percent below the African regional average.

The report stated that private health providers currently deliver 70 per cent of all health services, despite accounting for only 35 per cent of health facilities.

It further stated that approximately 80 per cent of Nigeria’s health infrastructure was dysfunctional, impeding healthcare delivery and resulting in annual losses of $1 billion due to outbound health tourism.

The report stated that out-of-pocket expenditure accounts for 75 per cent of total health spending, with only one in ten Nigerians having access to health insurance or risk-pooling schemes.

Core health system outcomes, it stated, including coverage of health services, health security, patient satisfaction, and financial risk protection, were all below regional averages.

This, it noted, could be primarily due to sustained underinvestment, poor health infrastructure, and inadequate engagement of available human resources.

With 3.95 medical doctors for every 10,000 people, the report noted that the health workforce provision in Nigeria was above the regional average of 1.5 but below the recommended threshold of 4.45 doctors per 10,000 people.

It said weak health infrastructure and inadequate engagement of available human resources had created gaps in the provision of essential health services, noting that only 51 per cent of childbirths were attended by skilled birth attendants.

Underinvestment in Nigeria’s health system, the report noted, was a significant barrier to achieving universal health coverage.

“Nigeria spends less on health as a share of gross domestic product than nearly every other country in the world, with the burden of healthcare costs instead falling on individuals and households,” said the report.

It stated that bridging performance gaps would require effective implementation of the National Health Insurance Authority Act 2023 and the 2014 Basic Health Care Provision Fund.

(NAN)