Nigeria improves on WHO health system ranking, says ACPN
• ‘ Moves to 163 out of 191 countries from 187’ • Group wants implementation of drug guidelines • Adopts DEPTH project for Universal Health Coverage before 2030
NIGERIAHAS improved on the World Health Organisation’s( WHO) health system ranking from 187 out of 191 countries two decades ago to 163 out of 191 countries.
National Chairman, Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria ( ACPN), Adewale Oladigbolu, disclosed this in Lagos, yesterday, when the association’s National Executive Committee paid a courtesy visit to The Guardian.
“A strategic relationship between ACPN and The Guardian means so much to us, as this has the potential to improve healthcare practice and indeed the health and wellbeing of Nigerians. Our country currently ranks 163 of 191 countries in the WHO health system ranking,” Oladigbolu said.
He described the ranking as a statistical analysis of the overall quality of the healthcare system including healthcare infrastructure; professionals ( doctors, pharmacists, nursing staff and other health workers) and competencies; cost ( United States Dollars/ USD per annum/ p. a. per capital); quality medicine availability; and government’s readiness.
Before now, Nigeria ranked 187, only ahead of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic and Myanmar.
The ranking uses performance indicators including overall level of health, distribution of health in populations, responsiveness and distribution of finance.
The pharmacist, however, said all these parameters are human modifiable factors and the improvement recorded by the country was due to increase in health consciousness of most Nigerians, especially because of technological advancement.
ACPN is the umbrella body of over 6,000 community pharmacy practitioners across Nigeria. Typically, members render first- level and advanced level healthcare services along the five spectra of health delivery: promotion, prevention, curative and palliative services.
Oladigbolu said the mass media has enormous potential to influence government policies, health- related behaviour and perception.
“The Guardian, without any iotaof doubt, hasbeenof great impact on this trajectory over the years, fulfilling the overarching goal of many human endeavours, which is to build a better society. ACPN, on the other hand, is a forwardlooking association with key objectives of establishing and sustaining high standards of professional practice for her members for a better service delivery to Nigerians. We also advocate health policy changes and advancement that will see to the improvement in our country ratings on the WHO index of health system,” he said.
Ola dig bo lu urged the media to support the strategic focus of ACPN executives, which are the clean medicine initiative and DEPTH project.
On the clean medicine initiative, he said: “This project seeks to reorder drug distribution system in Nigeria through advocacy, implementation of existing government policies, mass education and technology. A situation where every Tom, Dick and Harry sells medicines in the open market is a disgrace to our health system.