A maxillofacial traumatologist and the Medical Director, National Orthopaedic Hospital, Benin City, Dr. Philip Ugbodag, a has urged medical unions in the health sector to hold the governments at all levels accountable for how they spend public funds allocated to healthcare for improving the quality of healthcare and basic services in the country.
Ugbodaga made this statement weekend in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital as the guest speaker at the ongoing Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) Ordinary General Meeting, with the theme “The Medical Profession: Policies, Politics and Future Prospects”
He said that President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to improving the quality of healthcare services for Nigerians is unquestionable by making the most ambitious financial Investment in the health sector in the history of the country with a health sector budget of 1.502 Trillion Naira in 2024 and an unprecedented 2.48 trillion Naira in 2025.
He said these investments are to revitalize Primary Health Centres (PHCs), expand health insurance coverage, strengthen health security and expand health infrastructure.
Ugbodaga said, “As the most vibrant branch of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), in line with your association’s bye-laws, I urge you to hold the federal government represented by the Chief Executives of federal health institutions, as well as the state and local governments, accountable for providing improved quality healthcare services and basic services that we need as a people to create a healthier nation.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu made the most profound statement on healthcare in the history of our country when he declared On 12 December 2023 that “health is back on the front burner of Nigeria’s policy priorities” This declaration was a pivotal moment, signaling a renewed commitment to the well-being of Nigerians under the Renewed Hope Agenda. With this bold vision, the administration launched the National Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII) setting in motion a transformative journey to rebuild Nigeria’s health system into one that is equitable, resilient, and accessible to all”.
The Medical Director noted that, “a critical review of the FGN’s 2025 health budget disclosed that the government is intentional about using its expenditure to fast track health infrastructure transformation and drive overall social and economic development since citizen’s wellbeing is a major contributor to a country’s overall development.
“I would like to say that the lives of Nigerians, particularly women and children, are at stake, especially the poorest among us. We must do everything we can to safeguard them, and we must be relentless in our resolve to deliver an efficient, equitable, and quality healthcare system for all Nigerians,” he added.
“I call on the leadership and members of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to be resilient in the face of obvious challenges, because the task ahead is huge, but it requires our collective efforts, and we can do this through collaboration with the other healthcare professionals. I call on you, including other health workers to continue working with Chief Executive Officers of federal tertiary hospitals as we chart a path towards improving the health of all Nigerians.
