Effective Primary Health care will solve 80 per cent of Nigeria’s health problems – Lambo

Former Minister of Health, Prof. Eyitayo Lambo, described effective Primary health care provision as the only solution to almost 80 per cent of Nigeria’s health problems.

Lambo, in an interview with the Newsmen in Yola, said that strengthening primary health care centres would significantly safe the lives of millions of Nigerians.

The professor was in Yola for the inauguration of solar-powered water supply boreholes, built and donated by PZ Cussons Foundation to Wuro Ardo Ahmadu Village, Mayo-Belwa Local Government Area of Adamawa.

He noted that the Nigeria’s healthcare delivery would continue to suffer until the primary healthcare system was reviewed from total dependence on weakest tier of government.

Lambo said that if primary health centres within the reach of the common people were not functioning, that means majority of the population were denied access to health care services.

“Primary healthcare is like the foundation of building, and secondary healthcare is like walls that were built on the foundation,while the tertiary health care is like the roof of the building.

“If primary health care doesn’t have solid foundation, the other parts of the healthcare would equally collapse.

“Because the most important part of the health care system is the primary health system; it is the foundation of every effective healthcare delivery.”

The former minister said that somebody with malaria or diarrhoea have no business with tertiary health care; their person should have been taken to the primary health care.

On the current health care service and the situation in Nigeria, Lambo said he was disappointed and did not know when the health sector would see the light of day.