2023 General Election: Ask About Health Plan too -By Ibraheem Olasunkanmi Qoseem

While we approach the 2023 general election, let’s all be remembered that this decision will determine another four-years of comfort or hardship. I believe no one is deaf, blind and insensitive to the effects of the decision we made in the last general election in 2019. It is now down on us. Our eyes are cleared!

Of the major indicators of development; education, health, infrastructure, economy and technology: I hope your political office holders ticked all boxes of decent performances. Significantly, how is the health sector in the country, your State and community presently?

Is the primary healthcare in your locality is responding moderately to basic health needs? How is the general hospitals and federal health institutions in your State delivering the standard expected of secondary and tertiary healthcare?

I hope they are well equiped to no fault? Are their workers smile home as at when due? Do the maternal and neonatal mortality rate are reduced minimally? And the interventions like immunizations, medical outreaches, food and water supplementation and health promotion are adequately looked into in where you belong? How is health outcome and quality life expectancy?

I am sure these probably might be hard to answer because you do not even know that primary healthcare exist in your locality, and the present ones are either due for renovation or suffers crash inefficiency. While the State general hospitals are even worst to address slightest of illnesses or emergency case, any small thing, they either refer or leave patients to die of pain.

If these are the cases in your State, you need to do better. You have more work to do. It is never too late to call for debate, to question them the plans they have for your health when they surface on radio, television and in person for campaigns. Think critically beyond England words and the practicality of their interventions.

While I leave you to decide base on your communal health needs, these indicators should also be used to assess their ingenuities. No matter how it is, a plan that can not subsidizes health treatment, prevents out-of-stock syndrome in the facilities, recruits skilled health workers, motivates personels and addresses water paucity; it is nothing but exercise in futility.

If you are left with options of national leaders that are doubtful and have questionable characters, don’t ever miss your decision of gubernatorial and most importantly, the chairmanship seats. All hopes are not lost yet, for the fact that you are still alive and have voter’s card, you can make a difference. Go out to vote come 25th February and 11th of Match respectively, but vote who prioritizes your health. I wish you the best in your decisions.