Dr. Terfa Kene, President of the Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria (APHPN), says insecurity, poverty, and systemic gaps remain major threats to public health, despite ongoing government efforts.
Kene made the remarks during an interview with reporters on Sunday in Abuja.
He noted that while Nigeria has faced multiple public health challenges over the years, the government’s efforts represent steps in the right direction.
However, persistent structural issues continue to undermine progress, with insecurity being a critical factor affecting healthcare delivery and access in many communities.
“Insecurity disrupts healthcare systems as health workers flee affected areas, leaving facilities unattended and limiting programmes such as immunisation and other essential interventions,” Kene explained.
He identified poverty as another major driver of poor health outcomes, describing its link with disease as inseparable and deeply rooted in Nigeria’s broader development challenges.
“We are talking about poverty—poverty and disease are twins. Anywhere there is poverty, disease follows. Once 70 per cent of people are in poverty, all health indicators suffer,” he said.
Kene added that declining purchasing power worsens access to food and healthcare, significantly affecting maternal and infant mortality across the country. He stressed that without addressing poverty, public health interventions would achieve limited results.
Highlighting weaknesses in the primary healthcare system, he said focusing on infrastructure without community involvement undermines effectiveness and sustainability.
“Primary healthcare is not just about infrastructure; it’s about what the community can do through self-reliance,” he said.
Many facilities lack essential services such as reliable power, affecting vaccine storage and patient care, and increasing operational costs for hospitals. Unstable power supply also disrupts medical procedures, contributing to stress, inefficiency, and poor work-life balance among healthcare workers.
On solutions, Kene called for collective responsibility, urging communities, individuals, government, and development partners to collaborate in strengthening primary healthcare systems and improving service delivery.
“Government alone cannot solve Nigeria’s health problems; we must see primary healthcare as part of our lives,” he said.
He advocated for community-driven support for primary healthcare centres, including funding, infrastructure, and maintenance, to complement government efforts.
“If communities contribute to a PHC, by the end of the year it should have water, solar power, and almost everything it needs,” he added.
Kene said the association promotes adoption of primary healthcare centres, telemedicine, and stakeholder partnerships to improve access, strengthen systems, and enhance community participation.
Despite challenges like bureaucratic delays and resistance from some stakeholders, he expressed optimism that sustained advocacy and collaboration would improve Nigeria’s public health system nationwide.
