FG budgetary allocation for healthcare favours medical tourism – NAN

Ini Billie

The Nigerian Association of Nephrology (NAN), on Monday, said that the Federal Government’s budgetary allocation for the healthcare system favoured medical tourism.

The president of the association, Prof. Fatiu Arogundade, who said this in Uyo during a pre-press conference briefing, stated that the budgetary vote for health care in the country was below the standard of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Arogundade added that the low budgetary allocation was responsible for the poor health facilities in the country that cannot offer optimal services to patients.

He called for the formulation of a National Renal Care Policy, saying the policy would help standandize treatment for Nigerians with kidney diseases.

The association advocated for the inclusion of chronic long-term renal care in the National Insurance Scheme, noting that the none inclusion of the disease at this level has resulted to the loss of lives as such patients cannot afford the cost.

Explaining that the three days conference has the theme, ‘Preventive Nephrology’, the President urged governments at the Federal and State levels to subsidise the treatment of renal disease of its citizens as practiced in some other countries.

“As of today, there is little or no government involvement in renal care unlike what happens in other countries. Indeed, chronic (long-term) renal care is not included in the National Health Insurance Scheme.

“The state of affairs in Nigeria is that those who develop CKD are left on their own to pay for renal care. Consequently, many of them die within weeks of that diagnosis.

“There are private hospitals and few government hospitals that have facilities for kidney transplantation but patients have to pay all bills, which only a small proportion of Nigerians can afford.

“Only about one percent of our End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) patients benefit from kidney transplantation.

“As a way forward, there is need for a National Renal Care Policy that will standardise what is done for Nigerians with kidney disease and government subsidy for renal care for her citizens as it operates elsewhere,” Arogundade explained.

The professor of Nephrology sought the inclusion of renal care, especially chronic kidney disease in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) coverage to reduce the financial burden of patients.

He mentioned that the importation of consumables necessary for renal care should be free of import duties pending when the consumables would be indigenously produced.

According to him, the association was worried that chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects the economically productive population of the country, young Nigerians within the age bracket of 25 and 50 years, saying the issue requires urgent government’s attention.

Arogundade said that congenital anomalies of the kidney and the urinary tract were a major cause of kidney disease, particularly in children, adding that if identified early, congenital anomalies and urinary tract would prevent the consequences of kidney failure in the affected children.

“Also worrisome is the fact that chronic kidney disease is largely unrecognized and inadequately diagnosed. Most patients present to nephrologists already in advanced stage and at this stage treatment options are very expensive and out of the reach of most Nigerians.

“Therefore, with this sordid scenario, the emphasis now is on prevention and early detection of chronic kidney disease. This informed the theme of this conference which is preventive nephrology,” he said.

The president further advocated for good antenatal care for pregnant women, good health care for children, saying it would stem the rising incidence and prevalence of chronic kidney disease and slow down its progression.

He urged Nigerians to avoid excessive weight gain, obesity for adults and children, avoid too much salt, bleaching creams, and soaps, have a healthy eating habits with regular exercise.