How Coronavirus Keeps Underestimating National Health Systems

It's 2022 and Coronavirus, also known as COVID19 is an infectious disease caused by a deadly virus. People infected by the virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment. Older people and those with underline medical problems like cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease and cancer are likely to develop serious illness and the best way to prevent and slow down its transmission is to protect yourself by washing your hands, or using an alcohol based rub frequently and not touching faces. The virus spreads primarily through drop of saliva or discharge from nose when an infected person coughs or sneeze.

 

The Nigerian health care system has suffered several down falls from infectious disease outbreaks, year after year despite Nigeria's strategic position in Africa. The country is greatly undeserved in the health care sphere. Health facilities which include health center personnel and medical equipment are inadequate, especially in rural areas. While various reforms have been put forward by Nigerian government to wide ranging issues in the health care system, they are yet to be implemented at state levels and local government levels for years. Nigeria’s health care has been rated among the worst in the world. In 2018 studies in the lancet of global health care access and quality ranked Nigeria 142 out of 195 countries .

The country keeps increasing in population sizes with an estimated growth of 180 million people. This positions Nigerians as the most populous black country and giant of Africa, with massive foreign investment, yet, the health sectors which should cater for health needs of the population remains  in shambles. Under International Human Right Laws, the Nigerian government has an obligation to protect peoples' lifes to an adequate standard of living, including adequate food and nutrition, the highest attainable standard of health, and the right to social security. In times of economic crisis, countries must demonstrate that they have made every effort available to mobilize all available resources, including international resistance and allocate them in the way to maximize respect to human right. Government is obligated to ensure access to food, water, Health care, and other basic needs for everyone at all times and in particular, those subjects to lockdown and other restrictions on movements - it saddens that reverse is the case in Nigeria presently.

In a bid to improve Nigeria health care system during this pandemic and to cater for the less privilege who might not have anything to feed their humble stomachs, there were donations from individuals and companies alike. Nigeria’s top billionaires have donated billions to support the fight against the pandemic. When Chinese billionaire and co founder of Ali baba, Jack Ma announced intention to supports Africa’s fight against covid19 by donating essentials medical supplies, Nigerians reacted with immense gratitude, the attention was then shifted to Nigerian billionaires as Nigerians wanted to know what the country’s top business elites were doing to support their countries. Some of the top Nigerians billionaires who contributed to the good cause include Africa's richest, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, who made a persona donation of 2 Billion naira to support the cause. The famous industrialist has consistently maintained his position on top of Forbes Africa’s list of richest Africans as the majority owner of Dangote industries ltd. Mr Femi Otedola also announced his donation of 1 Billion naira to the relief fund via his instagram and twitter handles. According to him, ”we must all do what we can to flatten the curve.”

Abdul-Salam Rabiu also made cash donation worth 1 Billion through the BUA foundation and supply other medical aids while Folorunso Alakija, Africa’s second richest woman and Tony Elumelu, Chairman of United Bank for Africa Plc made personal donations. Other donors are Jim Ovia and

Oba Otudeko, Chairman of Holdings Plc and founder of Honeywell Group who donated the sum of 1 Billion naira