Sieving through the totality of the responses given to Prof. Falola's original issue, I see that we are gradually drifting away from giving appropriate solutions.
Prof. Falola stated thus:
"I don't want to talk about a sick president when he needs our prayer but about the health system of a country as big as Nigeria that cannot handle this, even if it involves surgery."
This means that he really does not want the discussion to be about the president's decision to go abroad for medical treatment. I bet you, if anyone of us is told by his medical doctor that he really cannot handle his situation and that he has to go somewhere else to receive treatment, he would definitely go if he has the financial ability to do so – no matter where the place is. That is not selfishness or breaking one's promise. It is called self preservation. And most of us on this forum would do exactly what President Buhari did, given the same situation.
Let us address the issue raised by Prof. Falola. He wants to talk about the health system of a country as big as Nigeria – italics mine - that cannot handle …an ENT infection…even if it involves surgery. That is it. Let us talk about the health system.
Before I go on, I have my own 'beef' about our intellectual community as Nigerians. We are quick to diagnose and offer verbose explanations as to the origin, present situation and eventual outcome of any problem or issue. We quote extensive European and American authors to buttress our erudition. We are really short on offering solutions to problems – any problem. It would seem to me that we take enormous space telling fantastic stories, probably to make ourselves feel important while the issue at hand is not given enough consideration or even completely jettisoned. After an extensive diagnosis of an issue, you ask a Nigerian, what the solution should be, he is likely going to tell you that only God can solve the problem and that you should pray a lot.
Now that I got that off my chest, I can go on. In response to Prof. Falola's issue, Prof. Afolayan had told us about the situation he met the once world acclaimed UCH. He was appalled – no flabbergasted! Of course, he wants the government to do something about overhauling the healthcare system. Now, a secret, Prof. – the situation you met UCH is the situation most of our government run institutions are. And another small secret I tell you: the government will probably not do more than it is presently doing. And why: the government people would probably tell you that there is no money to do more of the things you are asking. This may be a true statement but the absolute truth is that, even if there is money, the condition of government run institutions in Nigeria will not improve more than it is presently. It is not money that is the issue. It is not money that does not let NEPA or PHCN, NNPC, Nigeria airways, Nigeria Railways, Steel company etc. work. It is not money that does not allow even federal government secretariats to get cleaned up. They have many cleaners in these places to start with. The main reason is that our government has reached the highest level of its efficiency and no matter how much you prod it by throwing money at it the result would change very, very little. It has reached the point of diminishing returns and it did that many decades ago.
Alas, there in nothing wrong with Nigerians or Africans for that matter, as you can see from our level of our performance in other climes. We are as good as anyone, given the correct condition to perform – Period. If as it is claimed, there are 8000 medical doctors of Nigerian nationality in UK and US alone – and I bet there are many more than these if you count the number of our foreign born children who have qualified as medical doctors in those countries – we can perform at the same level of efficiency as any other nationality. Moreover, I go to some stores in Nigeria here and I see these places are maintained perfectly well and are squeaky clean. You would not see any foreigners in these places – only Nigerians. Of course, there are many private clinics and hospitals in Abuja, Lagos, Ibadan and in many of our big cities that are as good and as well run as some of the places in America or Europe that our leaders run to.
Now, from my own point of view, if the government has reached that point where it cannot do more than it is presently doing, the ball is our court. We have to stop beating a dead horse. It will just not respond.
Now what about us – us – seeing many of these issues as opportunities and seizing them to make our country better? We stand to make good money in the process. That is what the Chinese did and they are the better for it today. Now, there are many ways we can participate in the development of our country even when we are not domiciled there. Let us seize the opportunity to do something for our nation.
That, to me, would be a good response to the professor's issue.
FAKINLEDE
On Sunday, June 5, 2016 at 10:25:03 PM UTC+1, Toyin Falola wrote:
I don't want to talk about a sick president when he needs our prayer but about the health system of a country as big as Nigeria that cannot handle this, even if it involves surgery.
First, it is laughable that enormous expenses have to be devoted to an ear infection.
Second, it shows the level of developmental degeneracy.
Third, it shows the degree to which ordinary citizens are short-changed.
Unless of course there is more to it than an ear infection, this is an embarrassment.
TF
Sent from my iPhone
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