The Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has expressed displeasure over the five per cent budgetary allocation to the health sector, saying that it is not enough to meet the numerous challenges confronting the sector.
The President of MDCAN, Prof. Mohammad Mohammad, said this while reading a communique issued at the end of the Association’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Uyo on Sunday.
Mohammad said the association expressed concern that the country’s health budget was still a far cry from the Abuja declaration which prescribed at least 15 per cent budgetary allocation to the sector.
He called on governments at all levels to improve their budgetary allocations to the sector in order to meet with the Abuja declaration.
The association’s president also urged governments to put in place strategies to improve the economy to be able to improve the per capita spending on health.
He also observed that healthcare delivery had become more expensive as a result of the inflationary trend, adding that health insurance coverage was very poor.
“Government at all levels should endeavour to improve on its budgetary allocation to the health sector towards attaining the Abuja Declaration of at least 15 per cent.
“Consequently, the government should put strategies in place to improve the economy of the nation in order to improve the per capita spending on health of the population,” he said.
Mohammad called on the National Health Insurance Agency to improve on its enrollment to accommodate the vulnerable population.
He urged governments to take steps to mitigate factors responsible for increase in mental health disorders among medical professionals and Nigerians.