Lulu-Briggs Tasks Govt Over Rising Cost Of Healthcare Services

There is a need for the government to address the very high cost of healthcare leading to avoidable deaths in the country, says the chairman of the O.B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation, Dr. Seinye O.B. Lulu-Briggs.

Dr Seinye Lulu-Briggs said, reducing the high cost was crucial when the cost of living and healthcare skyrocketed, leaving Nigerians at a ‘point when they can no longer pay for healthcare at all.’
Dr Seinye Lulu-Briggs, who spoke at the opening ceremony of the 40th Free Medical Mission of the O.B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation at Comprehensive Health Centre, Deken, Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State recently, warned that the high cost of healthcare payments in the country impoverishes and has catastrophic impacts on households.

Citing the latest reports on the dire healthcare situation in the country and how it was affecting households, the philanthropist said, the foundation had hoped that it would have stopped its medical interventions at the grassroots by now and moved to other vital issues in the health sector.

She said: “We started hosting free medical missions 19 years ago to complement the efforts of national and state governments. At that time, we were confident that our health systems would become more robust with vibrant primary and tertiary health care widely available across Rivers State’s 23 Local Government Areas.

“We had hoped that we would be able to phase out our free medical missions by now and address other needs in the health sector. Unfortunately, the need is increasing as we have yet to find an effectively functioning general hospital in each of the 23 local government areas of Rivers State.”

Dr Lulu-Briggs added that, “We did not envisage the situation where the Foundation’s pop-up healthcare camps would become such a critical resource for quality healthcare in our communities. I say crucial because at the close of every free 5-day medical mission, we leave after attending to an average of 4,000 patients and performing 100 surgeries but without attending to thousands more, among whom had been recommended for surgery. Ideally, we should be able to refer them to public hospitals for the necessary procedures. For example, there is no reference hospital in Gokana, LGA. Indeed, it is regrettable that Nigeria’s health care system has deteriorated instead of improving over the years.”

Continuing, the philanthropist said, she is saddened when she considers what the lack of quality infrastructure means for poor Nigerians, and it is time to do more for Nigerians.

“When I consider what that means in the lives of our people, I think about all the pregnant women in our 23 local governments who have a breech pregnancy, for instance, and no hospital close by to attend. I think of the passenger on a bus who has a road accident and no access to emergency trauma care close by.

“I imagine a toddler who gets injured in a domestic accident, but there is no hospital nearby to attend to him. Most Riverians have no hope of any hospital at the local government area level. Most critical cases are referred to Port Harcourt, which is hours away. This gives me reason for pause. The state we find ourselves in is regrettable, and I pray God grants us the sanctity of peace and wisdom to do what the citizens need,” she stressed.

Dr Seinye Lulu-Briggs said, the Foundation’s outreaches were built on strategic collaborations with like-minded stakeholders when giving insight into the successes of its outreaches.

She appreciated the Caretaker Committee Chairman of Gokana Local Government, Honourable Kenneth Kpedem, the Paramount Ruler of Deken community, Mene Tombari Gbeanwe, the Rivers State Primary Healthcare Board and the Foundation’s team of 63 medical and 45 non-medical volunteers for the success of the 40th medical mission which began on July 29 and ended on August 2.

In separate remarks, Honourable Kenneth Kpedem, Mene Tombari Gbeanwe and a representative of Dr Kinikanwo Green, executive secretary of the Rivers State Primary Healthcare Board, commended the O.B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation for its commitment to improving healthcare access for the underprivileged. The trio also pledged their continuous backing for the Foundation.

The Free Medical Mission, which commenced 19 years ago, is the flagship programme of the O.B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation, demonstrating its unwavering commitment to improving healthcare access for the underprivileged.

Counselling/health education, outpatient consultations, general surgeries, paediatric care (including deworming), dental care, vision care (including glasses and surgery), malaria testing & treatment, HIV/AIDs screening, physiotherapy, and an onsite pharmacy and laboratory were offered during the 40th mission like in previous editions.

The O.B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation organises free medical outreaches for the underserved and underprivileged in the Niger Delta. Since 2005, the Foundation has treated over 152, 055 men, women and children in rural and peri-urban areas of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross Rivers, and Rivers States.