What Changes will the new National Health Act bring?

Last week, in anticipation of the now postponed Nigerian presidential elections on February 14th, we organized a 3 hour tweetathon, focusing on health, which has sadly been neglected in the current election campaigns. Together with partner organizations, using the hashtag #Feb14Health, we discussed some of the issues that we would like to see addressed by the political parties currently campaigning. Regrettably, none of the parties participated, although they had been invited to do so, perhaps an indication of the importance of health in their plans for the Nigerian people. It was however useful to air and document some of these issues and a Storify summary of the tweets can be found here.
Many of the contributions during the tweetathon referred to the National Health Bill signed into law by President Jonathan late last year. We had earlier described the tortuous ten year campaign by various stakeholders to ensure that for the first time since independence in 1960, Nigeria had a constitutional framework for a National Health System with clearly defined roles and responsibilities for the different tiers of government and non-governmental organizations.

The Neglected

In continuation of our series of visits aimed at bringing some of the interesting healthcare interventions in Nigeria to the public, Dr. Ifeanyi Nsofor and Adaobi Ezeokoli of the EpiAFRIC team recently joined The Leprosy Mission Nigeria (TLMN) during their visit to the Leprosy Referral Hospital, Chanchaga, and Community in Kampani, Minna, Chanchaga LGA, Niger State. The visit, sponsored by TY Danjuma Foundation, included a tour of the orthopaedics workshop run by TLMN, a tour of the hospital, an interactive session with the patients in the ward, a focus group discussion with members of the Kampani Community and meetings with State Public Health Officials and TLMN officials. All names, stories and photos below are used with permission.

David looks up from the Bible he is reading as we approach his bed in the men’s ward of the Leprosy Referral Hospital in Minna, Chanchaga LGA. He smiles a little shyly and starts to put away the Bible but is quick to laugh and respond when the hospital staff greets him. He has lepromatous lesions all over his face, and his ankles and swollen feet are bound in gauze to help heal the ulcers on his skin. He uses special cushioned sandals on his feet to protect his skin from further damage. As we talk to him, it is obvious that he is in high spirits, that he is happy to be there and, that despite the difficulties he faces, he has hope. He holds his Bible in his hands as his photograph is taken … and he smiles.

A new Regional Director, Matshidiso Moeti, brings Hope to the World Health Organisation in Africa

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recently appointed Dr Matshidiso Rebecca Moeti as the new Regional Director for WHO’s Africa Region (WHO AFRO) succeeding Dr Luis Gomes Sambo, who had served as Regional Director for the last 10 years. She is being thrown right in at the deep end with an ongoing outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. Her biography can be found here.
As the Ebola outbreak escalated over the last year, the WHO was criticised for its initial handling of the outbreak. Several commentators suggested that the WHO underestimated the outbreak, expected the overwhelmed governments of the affected countries to handle it themselves and, when it finally did take charge, lacked the capacity to do so effectively. There have been about 14,000 confirmed Ebola cases and 8,500 deaths. Whether these claims are right or not will be exhaustively debated after the outbreak is over, but for now there is still much work to be done. During her acceptance speech, Dr. Moeti vowed to improve the WHO’s response to the outbreak. In an interview, she stated an intention to recruit more people to increase the capacity of the WHO. She also welcomed a resolution that is intended to improve the WHO’s ability to respond in emergencies.
Dr Matshidiso Moeti has a rare opportunity to fundamentally transform the World Health Organisation in Africa. During normal times, it has a reputation of being overly cautious and careful not to hurt the sometimes soft sensitivities of its member states. However, it will be impossible for it to achieve its stated goal to help all people attain “the highest possible level of health” if it cannot speak truth to power. Now, more than ever, before it has an obligation to stand firm, to speak and act for the best health interest of Africans, which do not always necessarily coincide with those of African governments.