The Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) has issued a strong call to action, urging all tiers of government in Nigeria to declare a state of emergency in the health sector.
This call was made in a statement on Monday by Ibrahim Zikirullahi, the Executive Director of CHRICED.
According to Zikirullahi, this drastic measure has become necessary to revive the nation’s ailing healthcare system and fulfill the constitutional mandate of protecting citizens’ well-being.
Zikirullahi stated that CHRICED is deeply concerned about the slow progress towards achieving Universal Health Coverage in Nigeria. He noted that currently, less than 5% of Nigerians are enrolled under the National Health Insurance Authority, while over 70% continue to pay out-of-pocket for healthcare services.
“This is an unsustainable and unjust burden for ordinary Nigerians, particularly when we consider that the NHIA Act of 2022 already made health insurance mandatory for all residents,” he said.
The CHRICED ED expressed disappointment that despite this progressive legislation, implementation has been weak, leading to tragic consequences. He cited the recent case of a pregnant woman who died after her family couldn’t afford the ₦500,000 needed for her delivery.
“These painful stories are not isolated incidents,. Countless Nigerians continue to lose their lives due to a health system that has become unaffordable, especially for vulnerable populations,” Zikirullahi emphasized.
He noted that the situation is particularly alarming for vulnerable groups who should be benefiting from the Vulnerable Group Fund under Section 25 of the NHIA Act.
“The elderly, persons with disabilities, and pregnant women continue to be denied access to free or subsidized healthcare as envisioned by the law,” he stated.
Turning to the situation in Kano State, Zikirullahi noted with concern the non-implementation of the Free Maternal and Child Healthcare Law passed in 2023.
“This law was meant to ensure funding for free healthcare services for women and children through joint state and local government financing. Yet implementation has stalled, and preventable deaths among pregnant women and children continue unabated,” he noted.
The CHRICED ED presented sobering statistics to underscore the crisis. At the national level, maternal mortality stands at 576 deaths per 100,000 live births, making Nigeria one of the worst countries for maternal health outcomes globally.
He added that the situation is even more dire in Kano State, where maternal mortality ranges up to 1,025 deaths per 100,000 live births and neonatal mortality is the highest in the country at 59 deaths per 1,000 live births.
Zikirullahi attributed part of this crisis to the ongoing brain drain of medical professionals. “We’re losing our best healthcare workers to other countries, leaving our hospitals severely understaffed,” he said. “In Kano State, only 21.5% of deliveries are attended by skilled birth attendants – this is completely unacceptable.”
To address these challenges, CHRICED is making several key recommendations. The organization is calling for prioritized domestic resource mobilization for health, emphasizing that governments must enforce mandatory health insurance and use pooled funds to tackle systemic issues.
Zikirullahi stressed that “at minimum, 15% of annual budgets should be allocated to health, in line with the Abuja Declaration, with focus on infrastructure and human resources.”
CHRICED also advocated for stronger private sector collaboration, noting that the “government should actively work with private investors to develop health infrastructure across all levels of care.”
