The Minister of Defence, retired Maj.-Gen. Bashir Magashi, says the Federal Government has commenced the process of reforming the armed forces healthcare system into world-class in Nigeria.
Magashi stated this at a one-day Needs Assessment and Strategic Review Project Kick-Off Workshop on Reforming Military Health Services In Nigeria on Thursday, in Abuja.
He said the reform of the healthcare system was an important component of the reform of the ministry and the armed forces approved by President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to him, the ministry has resolved to review the armed forces health system, identify gaps and reposition it to better serve military personnel, veterans and their families as well as the general public.
“The armed forces health system is bedevilled with numerous challenges necessitating the need to engage a consultant to carry out a comprehensive needs assessment.
“The essence is to review the state of our facilities, dearth in medical personnel, inadequate equipment and parallel health care delivery services with a view to upgrading our facilities, recruiting more personnel and to boost the morale of our armed forces and civilians alike.
“My vision is to put in place mechanisms that will lead to the establishment of a world class military hospital akin to Walter Reed Military Hospital in the USA.
“It will successfully manage officers and soldiers injured in battle as well as provide serving personnel, veterans, their families and indeed Nigerians quality healthcare services,’’ he said.
The minister reiterated the need for a coordinated and unified armed forces healthcare delivery system to tackle the enormous health challenges.
The Permanent Secretary, Dr Ibrahim Kana, said the armed forces had during COVID-19 crisis, demonstrated the capability of playing active role in ensuring effective healthcare delivery in the country.
Kana said role of the Nigerian Air Force in providing oxygen and emergency ventilator to medical facilities across the country for COVID-19 patients was commendable.
He added that the Nigerian army was also involved in providing free medical services across the country during the pandemic.
According to him, the Nigerian army has also been offering free surgical services, particularly in hard to reach areas.
“We know for some time now the country has been bedevilled by insurgency, banditry, and other all forms of insecurity, thereby making it difficult for people in rural areas, and in particular in those areas to access healthcare.
“The Nigerian armed forces being what they are, actually rose to the equation again to continue to provide services, including health services.
“Nigerian Armed Forces Medical Services did not only limit its services to military alone, they have continued to provide services civilians during the peacekeeping operations,’’ he said.
Kana said there are a number of military hospitals across the country that required overhaul and reform in terms of facilities and manpower.
He added that the Nigerian military Health Management Organisation (HMO) had been in the forefront of providing universal health coverage to both serving and retired personnel.
He said there were gaps that exist in spite of the successes so far recorded by the military in healthcare delivery such as quality and performance.
“Now we are focusing on operational efficiency in order for us to reposition, the armed forces health facilities for optimal performance.
“We want to see a situation whereby we begin to go back to the olden days, where we have the core medical, whereby the armed forces actually recruit medical students and other students from the university so they can begin to condition their minds.
“So when they graduate, they go to the academy, get trained and fall into service with their uniforms. That is our vision again as part of the reform,’’ he added.
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Lucky Irabor, said the reform plan of the ministry aligned with the vision of the armed forces to enhance the morale component of warfighting.
Irabor said that healthcare and emotional wellbeing of personnel remained critical to the moral component, saying the project was long overdue.
He said the intention, of the project was to optimise the medical practices and management of the armed forces.
According to him, armed forces have been engaged in internal security operations for quite a decade and the impact of these operations on the head of our personnel is unimaginable.
“And I think that at the conclusion of this project, the impact and value that it will bring to the wellbeing of members of the armed forces is better imagine,’’ he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was attended by the services chiefs and foreign partners including the representatives of the U.S. Embassy, World Bank and Uk foreign office.
(NAN)