Creating a Functional Health System for Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Health systems are more than static health facilities. The World Health Organization has identified six building blocks of the health  system namely: human resources for health, service delivery, medicines, vaccines and technology, health information, health financing and  leadership and governance. This paper examines the Nigerian health system and posits that it is not functional.
Discussion: The dysfunctional state is a result of chronic neglect of both the building blocks of the health system and the wider determinants of  health such as education, sanitation, and food security in addition to the lack of synergy between the health and non-health sectors.
Conclusion: Creating a functional health system in Nigeria does not require fresh policies rather the political will and commitment of resources to  improve the quality of life of the citizens in the non-health sector and the implementation of the numerous policies and strategies in the health  sector. Adequate attention should be paid to primary health care.