Report: 2 of every 3 Nigerians do not believe their health needs are met

Results from a survey carried out by Phillips Africa, a health technology company, show that two of every three Nigerians do not believe that their healthcare needs are met by local facilities.

However, the results, which were unveiled on May 15 in Lagos at ‘The Future of Health’ summit in association with Forbes and CNBC Africa, said 52 percent of Nigerians trust the healthcare system while 36 percent believes that their healthcare needs are met.

This leaves 64 percent of the population without the belief that their healthcare needs are met.

Using the latest figure of a population of 198 million, this gives a rough breakdown of approximately two of every three Nigerians.

The survey, which was carried out online, had 503 respondents from all the six geopolitical zones in the country.

Further results from the survey showed that 82 percent of the respondents believe that the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) will record better patient outcome in years to come.

People between the ages of 18 and 34 formed the largest part of the participants at 73 percent, 25 percent were between ages 35 and 54, while two percent were 55 years and above.

“Findings show an inefficient use of the healthcare system as there is an over-reliance on hospitals for non-urgent medical issues that can be addressed in a primary care setting,” the report read.

Commenting on the results, Jasper Westerink, the chief executive officer of Philips Africa said the results suggest that timely treatment from healthcare professionals will reduce the burden on the healthcare industry.

“This study highlights the need for a greater focus on preventive health care for a sustainable health system, especially given the prevalence of lifestyle-related diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease,” he said.

“The results also reinforce the need for the national government to invest a significant percentage of its healthcare budget towards medical research, preventive care, acute care and general health education.

“With these findings as a guiding light, we are engaging with all relevant stakeholders to drive the debate and ultimately improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of healthcare services for future generations. We aim to expand access to quality and affordable healthcare across the country and compliment significant efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s growing health sector.”