Health security, necessary for development, says Lagos Commissioner

Health security has been identified as a pre-requisite to the attainment of global, national and individual development. 　

According to Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris, no individual or country can grow without health security, hence it is indispensable to development.

　 Idris spoke at the Annual General Meeting of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN). The topic is,

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Lagos, a Megacity: So far, how far?.


He said there is hope despite notable setbacks after the 2008/2009 economic crises as corroborated by 2011 MDG report released on July 7 by the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-Moon.

　 Idris said: "As doctors, our area of competence is the health sector, and the reality however, is that other sectors impact directly or indirectly on health. The implication of this is that health has multiple determinants, including some in sectors other than health. Hence, multiple sectors of government should collaborate and pay attention to their impact on health."

　 He noted that the MDGs and its goals represent the most ambitious commitment ever made by the international community, adding that its achievements would make the most difference in the lives and future prospects of impoverished populations in the history of humanity.

　 Idris said: "If these goals are met, ancient impediments to human development long considered intractable, such as poverty, ignorance, diseases, unhealthy environments and premature death from preventable causes would be overcome."

　 He said though Lagos State is the smallest out of the 36 states in terms of land mass, it is the most populous accounting for over 10 per cent of the country’s total population 　and it has been projected by UN Habitat that it will emerge as the third largest megacity in the world with a population of 24.5million after Tokyo and Mumbai by 2015.

　 "The number one challenge of health service delivery in the state is the population which is as a matter of necessity taken into consideration when planning for the attainment of the MDGs, and indeed, the public health sector in particular," he added.

Idris said as a result to this urbanisation are the emergence of urban slums, over-crowding and associated diseases such as tuberculosis and measles, challenges of environment, water and sanitation that have impacts on health itself.

　 "Improvement has been made to health with regards to child mortality, maternal health and combat of HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, which are emerging on a global level and constituting public health challenges. These challenges of the epidemiological shifts from communicable diseases to non-communicable diseases, principal among, which are cardio-vascular diseases, diabetes and cancers are here with us," he said.

　Idris said MDGs have always been of major areas of concern to the government, hence it is no coincidence that the state government’s 10-point agenda bear striking similarities to the MDGs, adding that some the state government’s accomplishments on the MDGs include the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, provision of Universal Primary Education, promotion of gender equality and women empowerment, reduction of child mortality, and improvement on maternal health, among others.

By Wale Adepoju

http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/health/22439-health-security-necessary-for-development-says-lagos-commissioner.html