29th January, 2017
The Christian Health Association of Nigeria (CHAN) says four out of 10 Nigerians receive medical services in mission hospitals across the country.
Mr David Omorebokhae, Director of Advocacy and Communications of CHAN, said this on Sunday during the inauguration of the Cross River advocacy group of CHAN in Calabar.
CHAN is the umbrella organisation for mission health institutions in Nigeria.
According to Omorebokhae, the organisation has more than 400 registered mission institutions in the country.
The director added that the 400 institutions has more than 4,500 health outposts spread across Nigeria.
He explained that CHAN health facilities in Nigeria also have over 3,000 health practitioners in its employ across the country with their salaries paid as of when due.
“We pride ourselves to say that four out of every 10 Nigerians gets their health services from the mission health institutions.
“By implication, we are saying that 40 per cent of health services in Nigeria are provided by the mission sector.
“This result was made known during a research conducted a few years ago by the British Department for International Development (DFID) in Benue state.
“The survey was aimed at finding out where the people get their health services from.
“That research shows that 70 per cent of health services were provided by the private sector and when they delineated the percentage, they also discovered that 40 per cent of the health services rendered come from the mission health institutions.
“On the 24th of May 2004, the then Minister of Health, Prof. Eyitayo Lambo, affirmed to the fact that 40 per cent of health services provided in this country comes from faith based organisations,’’ he said.
After inaugurating the advocacy group, the director told NAN that CHAN, which has its headquarters in Jos, was operational in 19 states in Nigeria.
“We are not competing with the government. The government is doing a lot in the health sector; but the health needs of the people cannot be shouldered only by the government.
“The government alone cannot do it all; that is why we are here to complement government’s effort by rendering affordable healthcare service to the people,’’ he said.