Dr Douglas Okor, a consultant neurosurgeon and health reform advocate, has called on Nigeria’s political leaders to make the overhaul of the country’s failing health system a top national priority.
Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja, Okor emphasized that meaningful reform in the health sector requires deliberate and sustained leadership commitment.
“Health sector improvement starts from the top,” he said, stressing that real progress can only be achieved when leadership at all levels is aligned in vision and action.
“All the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), federal and state governments, and lawmakers must understand that health is not optional. It’s a mainstream public good.
“You can not develop a country without sorting out your healthcare system,” he said.
Referencing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), he pointed to Goal 3, Good Health and Well-being, as a reminder that a functional healthcare system was foundational to national development
He urged leaders to back their rhetoric with adequate funding and the political will to drive change.
Okor also underscored the critical role of civil society, healthcare professional associations, faith-based organisaations, and especially the media in spotlighting health issues and keeping them at the forefront of national discourse.
“The media must mainstream healthcare and set the agenda so that Nigerians understand how critical it is,” he said.
With the 2027 general elections already entering political conversations, he urged voters to hold aspiring politicians accountable by demanding specific, actionable plans for health reform.
“Our healthcare system is weak and broken. The question every citizen must ask is: ‘What are you going to do about healthcare?’” he said.
He stressed that true reform must benefit all Nigerians, not just the urban middle class.
In particular, he identified two urgent focus areas: Nigeria’s under-resourced and poorly coordinated primary healthcare system and its fragile emergency medical services.
“We must build a system that serves everyone, including rural dwellers.
“Leadership must model this commitment so that others follow.
“That’s how you create national culture and real reform,” he said.
