From: wsargeant@IGC.APC.ORG (Winslow L. Sargeant)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african
Subject: IPS:Nigeria, rising costs threaten heal'
Date: 30 Jul 92 17:31:41 GMT

/* Written 12:03 am  Jul 30, 1992 by newsdesk in cdp:ips.englibrary */
/* ---------- "NIGERIA: RISING COSTS THREATEN HEAL" ---------- */
Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Area: Asia, eastern
Reference: Third World Dvpmnt; Trade & Finance
Title: NIGERIA: RISING COSTS THREATEN HEALTH FOR ALL BY THE YEAR 2000


an inter press service feature

by kole babalola

bauchi, nigeria, jul 27 (ips) -- the escalating costs of health
services and drugs threatens to hijack the goal of health for
all by the year 2000 in africa's most populous nation.

since the introduction in 1986 of the international monetary
fund-inspired structural adjustment programme (sap) and its
accompanying removal of subsidies on health, the cost of medical
services has risen way above the reach of many nigerians.

in this ancient city of northern nigeria, there is only one
government hospital where the poor can go for treatment. but
even then, only very few can afford the drugs prescribed by
doctors.

musa inuwa (67), a night guard with the government-owned
bauchi state integrated rural development authority, says he
cannot afford most of the drugs prescribed for his urinary tract
ailment.

''i took a loan from my office but it could not take care
of even 10 percent of the drugs i have to buy'', inuwa told
ips.

the situation is no better in other parts of this country of
about 88.5 million people.

in the south-eastern city of calabar, civil servant john
ekpenyong paid the equivalent of eight dollars as admission fee
at the university teaching hospital when his child had fever and
severe dehydration.

he had earlier withdrawn the child from a private clinic
where he had paid 70 dollars and was still required to pay more.

''i had to carry my child to the teaching hospital to reduce
cost but you know, my brother, it takes a long time before you
get attention here'', ekpenyong says.

even government-owned hospitals are now charging higher fees,
their excuse being the prevailing economic difficulties.

a medical doctor in a government hospital in nigeria's former
capital, lagos, who spoke to ips on condition of anonymity, says
the cost of equipment and drugs have left government hospitals
with little or no choice but to charge fees commensurate with
the cost of materials. (more/ips)


nigeria: rising (2)

the situation was not helped when the guild of medical
directors, owners of private hospitals, announced 100 percent
increases in hospital charges last month.

ebun sonaiya, guild chair, says since the introduction of
the structural adjustment, ''prices of goods have
skyrocketted''.

''all medical imputs from drugs, equipment to dressings have
gone higher'', he says.

the guild further announced charges from about five dollars
for registration up to some 3,500 dollars for various types of
treatment and surgery.

even at the government-owned university of nigeria teaching
hospital, in the eastern city of enugu, heart surgery, which
cost about 500 dollars a few months ago, now costs between 1,500
and 3,000 dollars depending on the level of surgery required.

drug manufacturers have not been spared by rising production
costs.

sam ohuabunwa, director of pharmaceutical services of pfizer
plc, a drug manufacturing concern, says over 80 percent of raw
materials are imported and the recent devalution of the
currency, naira, has adversely affected the industry.

the cost of producing combantrin, a common worm expeller,
dermatology creams, and antibiotics, has increased by between 60
and 90 percent.

the proliferation of fake drugs has been the upshot of these
negative developments in the health sector.

however, the sale of fake drugs may be curbed by the recent
launching of the logo of the national essential drugs list,
whose compilation started in 1989.

the logo will be displayed at places where government-
provided essential drugs can be found in government hospitals
across the country.

but, adeoye lambo, a professor of psychiatry and former
deputy director-general of the world health organisation (who),
insists only adequate funding of the health sector can assist
the nation to achieve the dream of health for all by the year
2000.

health minister olikoye ransome-kuti, however, believes if
properly managed, ''the funds being pumped into the health
sector by the government will see the nation through to the
goal''. (end/ips/kb/tvh/apc/92)


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