By CHARLES IWUOHA

A Development Economist and Public Finance Management expert, Dr. Chiwuike Uba, has identified lack of qualified health workers as the biggest nightmares facing Nigeria’s health sector.

Uba pointed out that the healthcare statistics in Nigeria were abysmal, adding that maternal mortality in the country was among the worst in the world, with a whopping 19 per cent of global maternal deaths occurring nationwide.

According to him, medical professionals were in short supply, with only 35,000 doctors, despite needing 237,000, quoting the world Health organisation (WHO)'s figures, partially due to the massive migration of health workers overseas.

In a lecture titled “COVID-19 and the future in the past: Health financing and Universal Health Coverage, Uba stated that Nigeria loses $2 billion every year to medical tourism, according to the Nigerian Medical Association ( NMA).

The Lecture which had the theme: “2023 Amaka Chiwuike- Uba International Asthma Conference (ACUBIAC), was held on Thursday at Oakland Hotels, Enugu State.

Uba, who is the Chairman, Board of Trustees of Amaka Chiwuike-Uba Foundation, explained that about 930 million people worldwide were at risk of falling into poverty due to out-of-pocket spending of 10 per cent or more of their household budget, saying that achieving the targets for Primary Health Care (PHC), requires additional investment of around N370 billion a year for more comprehensive package of health.

The conference was organized in collaboration with the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Nigerian Thoracic Society (NTS) and Global Allergy and Airways Patient Platform (GAAPP).

The Guests Speakers included the representative of a former Health Minister, Prof. Isaac Adewole, who chaired the occasion; Dr Uche Ojinmah, NMA President; Prof. Obinna Onwujekwe, a Professor of Health Economics, Systems and Policy; Dr Adaeze Ayuk- Consultant Paediatric Pulmonologist, and Larry Oguego.