As I write this, another person is probably taking their last breath, another victim of the current meningitis epidemic raging through the land. It is appalling that a so-called giant like Nigeria will be the playing field
for all manner of dangerous epidemics from polio, to tuberculosis to ebola, to Lassa fever.
Nigeria's health budget is an eyesore, accounting for less than 10% of the federal budget. Aside from the paltry sum allocated each year to the most vital sector of all, there is high-level corruption in the management of resources provided by donor countries through their agencies to the Nigerian people.
This effectively brings us to a point where funds are grossly inadequate to tackle the plethora of issues facing the health sector in this country. This coupled with the high levels of poverty and squalor that has become the norm for the common man, thereby making him a primary target of all the combo of diseases and plagues...SAD.
And herein lies the hard choice, due to the consistent blackout that effectively renders even folk that can afford fans and other air-conditioning equipment powerless In the face of these raging heat, They now stuck in between choosing to sleep outside inspire of the insecurity, mosquitos and sleeping inside meningitis inducing heat. It is truly a case of choosing between the devil and the deep blue sea.
In these scenario, given that malaria already has common curative and affordable treatment compared to the N6,000 currently being charged (when available) for the meningitis vaccination. It is a no-brainer to embrace all things that encourage a well-ventilated system.
Nigeria's health budget is an eyesore, accounting for less than 10% of the federal budget. Aside from the paltry sum allocated each year to the most vital sector of all, there is high-level corruption in the management of resources provided by donor countries through their agencies to the Nigerian people.
This effectively brings us to a point where funds are grossly inadequate to tackle the plethora of issues facing the health sector in this country. This coupled with the high levels of poverty and squalor that has become the norm for the common man, thereby making him a primary target of all the combo of diseases and plagues...SAD.
And herein lies the hard choice, due to the consistent blackout that effectively renders even folk that can afford fans and other air-conditioning equipment powerless In the face of these raging heat, They now stuck in between choosing to sleep outside inspire of the insecurity, mosquitos and sleeping inside meningitis inducing heat. It is truly a case of choosing between the devil and the deep blue sea.
In these scenario, given that malaria already has common curative and affordable treatment compared to the N6,000 currently being charged (when available) for the meningitis vaccination. It is a no-brainer to embrace all things that encourage a well-ventilated system.
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