*Says The Rich Unable To Buy Their Way Out Of The Dangers Of Covid-19, So They Inflict Lockdowns To Protect Themselves
The Alliance for Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAB) has said that what is killing most Nigerians is poverty, not Covid-19.
This is contained in a statement signed by its Chairman, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN).
The coalition said that the deaths could have been averted if necessary medical care had been provided.
They added that lock-down is meant to just protect the rich and the powerful from danger of Covid-19. As a result of inadequate funding and protective equipment, medical doctors too are dying
“There is a medical emergency, but for the majority it is not Covid-19. For many years now, the poor majority have been suffering a major health disaster. In 2018 the World Health Organisation estimated that there were perhaps 20,000 deaths each week in Nigeria which could have been avoided if the necessary medical care had been provided. This compares to the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic which has reached less than 50 deaths a week.
“The rich and powerful are not able to buy their way out of the dangers of Covid-19, so they inflict lockdowns on the majority to protect themselves, but they will not adequately fund public health. As a result, health workers and doctors see the pain and suffering resulting from inadequate funding and suffer particular risks from Covid-19 – 20 doctors died in one week – as they are not provided with adequate personal protective equipment (PPE).” they said
Falana explained that there is underfunding in the health sector and hat the top three risk factors tor death or disability are malnutrition, water/sanitation and air pollution and that these factors affect only the poor
He said, “The Federal Health Budget for 2021 includes a recurrent health budget of N380 billion, capital spending of N132bn and N35 billion for the Basic Health Provision Fund. This gives a total health budget of N547 billion. This is only a 3.6% increase on 2020, only 4.2% of the total proposed budget and less than N3,000 for each person.
“In contrast, in 2001 African governments pledged to spend at least 15% of their budgets on health in the Abuja Declaration. In 2012, WHO estimated the minimum spending per person per year needed to provide basic, life-saving services was at least US$44 (N16,000).
“The result of this under funding of public health is that the poor suffer unnecessary illness and death and medical staff suffer added risks from diseases including Covid-19.
“Recall that the World Health Organisation estimated the following weekly deaths for Nigeria in 2016:
“Lower respiratory infections – 5,500
Neonatal conditions – 4,000
Diarrhoeal diseases – 3,000
Tuberculosis – 2,000
Malaria – 2,000
Maternal conditions – 1,000
Nutritional deficiencies – 1,000.”
Furthermore, the group said Covid-19 is real and has inflicted horrors across the world, but the poor suffer more every year from easily prevented and treatable diseases.
“The difference between Covid-19 and the diseases of poverty is that we know how to solve poverty and its related diseases. We have always had a vaccine for hunger – it is food.
“Poor people in Nigeria account for about a quarter of all deaths from malaria globally. These deaths would be greatly reduced if more people slept under mosquito nets, took malaria tests when they thought they had malaria and were then treated promptly. Poor people cannot afford to do this, but the rich can, so they are hardly affected by malaria.
“It is estimated that deaths from tuberculosis could be reduced by 90% by 2030 by increasing detection rates, strengthening primary health care provision and treating many more patients. This would cost the government around N80 billion a year or perhaps five per cent of its annual budget. So again tuberculosis is a disease of the poor that the rich are not bothered about.
“The top three risk factors for death or disability in Nigeria are malnutrition, water/sanitation and air pollution. These factors only really impact on the poor. Nigeria leads Africa in air pollution deaths (most are included in the lower respiratory infections category above). This may cause 114,000 deaths a year, including more than 64,000 deaths from the use of wood or charcoal-fuelled stoves for cooking which largely affects poor women.
“Diarrhoea is caused by dirty water. Poor sanitation and hygiene is the second largest killer of children under five in Nigeria. WaterAid estimate that one in three Nigerians do not drink clean water and a similar number do not have access to basic sanitation. As a result, 60,000 children under five die unnecessarily. Washing hands is one of the key measures to avoid exposure to coronavirus. How do the poor Nigerians do this if they do not have access to clean water?
“So far we have suffered far lower levels of Covid-19 than Europe and North America, for example, but this could easily change with the new strains from South Africa and Britain which are far more infectious. But even so, the majority of the population suffer far more from other diseases which could easily be prevented and, especially those in the informal sector, would suffer far more from any possible return to lockdowns.
“There may be some minor complications with the various vaccines which have been rapidly developed to address Covid-19, but the major issue for Nigerians will be the cost of the vaccine. The prices are generally confidential, but Belgium is paying around N4,000 for a dose. This would make the cost for everyone in Nigeria to be vaccinated around N8 trillion or nearly 15 times the total public health budget for 2021. Gavi and other donors may assist, but Gavi is only planning to fund 200 million vaccines across the whole of the Global.
“South. So, as with other life-saving issues, including even food, the main problem will be how the poor majority can afford to pay for them.
“We need a massive increase in funding for public health to enable us all to survive Covid-19 and beyond; and to protect our health workers from Covid-19 and other diseases.
“ASCAB supports the calls from the health workers represented by JOHESU and the doctors of the NMA for greater funding for public health and supports any action they deem necessary to achieve their demands,” it added.
Thenigerialawyer
