TheCable

Ken Nnamani, former president of the senate, says the federal government must provide a conducive environment for private healthcare practitioners.

Nnamani said this on Thursday at the 100th anniversary of the Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN).

His appeal comes amid an ongoing strike by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).

The former senate president said no matter how much the government has in its treasury, it will not be able to take care of the health needs of Nigerians, adding that private doctors play a “critical” role.

“Most of the healthcare delivery is done by private people. Private sector plays a key role. Regardless of the amount of money we have in our treasury and in our central bank, there is no way the federal government can afford to deliver on all the necessary issues of Nigerians,” he said.

“Therefore, the role of the private practitioners becomes very critical. If you can take a look at the balance sheets of banks in Nigeria, you add it up, you realize that we have more money in the private sector than the public sector.

“Why we are here is to take a look at the healthcare delivery in Nigeria and the role of the private practitioners in making it work. The private practitioners require a lot of assistance from all well meaning Nigerians and the government itself.

“Government can prepare a conducive environment for them to carry out their practices.”

On his part, Iyke Odo, AGPMPN president, said the country’s healthcare delivery system has been left “suppressed and incapacitated”.

“One of the cardinal objectives for this dialogue is to spotlight the place of the private health sector in the healthcare delivery architecture and chemistry,” Odo said.

“They are the inevitable partners of the government and should be seen in the light of the huge gap they fill in the system rather than be perceived by the government as competitors or treated with disdain.

“They need to be supported and encouraged to optimize their immense potentials for the system.

“May I inform Nigerians and the international community that the health sector of Nigeria with over 200 million people and a potentially viable economy and deep natural endowments, is a huge investment location.

“I therefore call on our businessmen and women, local and international investors to invest in the health sector and invest in the private doctors.”

The AGPMPN launched a N10 billion fund to “save one million Nigerian mothers”.