Abisola Aworinde, Executive Director of May Clinic in Lagos, spoke to ABIODUN FANORO on the increasing numbers of Nigerians seeking medical attention outside the shores of the country and what can be done to stem the tidy, he also on the politics surrounding the controversial National Health Bill.CONCERNS have been raised about how Nigerians travel abroad for medical care instead of patronising local health facilities and by so doing encouraging capital flight. How best could this be checked'One of the ways government could check the practice is by setting up standards that would actually monitor and benchmark hospitals in Nigeria.Today, there is no quality standard of assessing the level of quality based on certain standards that are in line with the best practices all over the world, especially in those foreign hospitals they run to.One of the reasons people travel to India, Germany, United States (US), and other places for medical treatment is because the chances of adverse are lower. There are so many quality initiatives and procedures that government can put in place that won't cost government anything, except the time to put these policies and procedures in place.If there were a standard in Nigeria that governs all hospitals, both public and private, then people would have confidence in patronising local health facilities.But hospitals are usually accredited before they are allowed to operate'What we are saying is that it is not enough to accredit and start operation. The process of standardisation should not end just at accreditation. Year in year out, monitoring agents should visit these hospitals to ascertain the standard, whether it is dwindling, stagnant or growing.Is this not a step towards specialisation by hospitals'Yes; that is the ultimate goals. In the US, some hospitals specialised in different kinds of surgeries, unlike what we have in Nigeria today.The National Health Insurance Scheme is now about 10 years in operation. How would you rate its performance'The idea of the scheme is brilliant. The whole idea is that you don't have to empty your pocket before you receive quality health-care. The goal is to reach the common men on the street.How far has this scheme been able to meet the yearnings of the ordinary man on the street'I will say it has not substantially been able to meet the yearnings of the common man on the street. This again is due to the problem of lack of education and awareness about the scheme.What is your take on the National Health Bill, which has been generating a lot of controversies'The National Health Bill is a courageous and commendable step expected to guide the administration and the delivery of health services in the country.However, a lot still needed to be done, in terms of awareness and enlightenment among the general public.I have been at some fora where people said they were not aware of the Bill, even when it has got to its final bus stop of getting presidential endorsement. A greater majority of stakeholders in the health sector are not familiar with details and objectives of the planned law.Personally, I have had the opportunity of studying the details of the Bill and could therefore say that it is borne out of good intention, as a lot of the policy issues there are generally for the good of the people.It sole aim is to improve the quality of healthcare in the country and ensure that providers deliver in accordance with best practices all over the world.I do sympathise with proponents of the Bill that the President has not sign it. It is all about politics; it is all about the political pressure the President is confronting here and there.
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