The Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference
The Academy held its 3rd Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference on Saturday, October 28, 2023, at the Sheraton Hotel Ikeja.
This monumental event was graced by distinguished individuals who have made indelible marks in their respective fields. Among our honored guests were:
– The Honorable Minister of Health, represented by the esteemed Dr. Tunji Alausa, who also holds the esteemed position of the Honorable Minister of State for Health.
– The Honorable Minister of Education, represented by the accomplished Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos.
– The Honorable Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, represented by the distinguished Prof. Martins Emeje, DG and CEO, Nigerian Institute of Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency.
– The respected members of our Board of Trustees.
– Sir. Kessington Adebutu, one of our honorary Fellows.
– Our esteemed Fellows, whose expertise and dedication continue to illuminate the path of progress.
– The new inductees, who have now joined the ranks of our distinguished Fellows, and their well-wishers.
The lecture on “Mainstreaming of health in all sectors for achieving Universal Health Coverage”, delivered by Prof. Akinsanya Osibogun, was also well received.
The lecture delved into the critical relationship between health, poverty, and national development. The lecture provided a comprehensive exploration of this nexus, drawing attention to the pressing health challenges in Nigeria, the impact of poverty on disease, and the need for greater investments in the healthcare sector.
He emphasized that despite past efforts to address diseases like malaria, they continue to plague the country, indicating that the circumstances of patients who repeatedly visit healthcare facilities for the same conditions need re-evaluation. He emphasized that without a doubt, poverty is both a cause and effect of disease and ignorance.
The lecture also highlighted the grim reality of global poverty-related deaths, with approximately one-third of global deaths attributed to such causes, impacting around 18 million people annually, mainly women and children. The most significant contributors to child mortality were identified as malnutrition and poverty-related diseases. This included HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis, which disproportionately affect developing countries, particularly in Africa.
A key point in the lecture was the low level of public spending on health in African countries, often falling well below the recommended minimum of 15% set by the Abuja Declaration. This lack of investment in healthcare poses a considerable challenge to addressing the immense disease burden present on the continent. A significant gap was identified between the funds required to meet health targets, estimated at $20 to $70 billion per annum, and available health aid, which amounted to just $10 billion in 2003.
Prof. Osibogun argued for the importance of more efficient resource utilization and wealth generation to ensure that existing health spending yields the desired health outcomes. The lecture presented the “Osibogun Equation” as a novel tool to estimate the cost of illness, highlighting that it encompasses both tangible and intangible costs.
He defined it as
COST OF ILLNESS = COST OF TREATMENT + COST OF TREATMENT-SEEKING ACTIVITIES + COST OF OPPORTUNITIES FOREGONE + HIDDEN SOCIAL AND PERSONAL COSTS + “COST” OF MISERY AND PAIN
The lecture concluded by highlighting and providing valuable insights into the complex interplay between health, poverty, and national development and the inextricable relationship between health and wealth. To address the immense disease burden in developing countries, particularly in Africa, the lecture called for improved efficiency in resource utilization and wealth generation as vital components of effective health policies across sectors.
Prof. Osibogun proposed that health contributes to increased wealth and productivity, citing examples where a healthy population was demonstrated to be more economically productive. The lecture urged a shift from traditional economic indices to the Human Development Index (HDI), which considers living conditions and education as a more holistic measure of development.
Key Findings
- Persistent Health Challenges: Despite past efforts, diseases like malaria continue to be leading causes of morbidity and mortality in Nigeria, indicating the need for reevaluation of healthcare strategies.
- Poverty as a Double-Edged Sword: Poverty is both a cause and effect of disease and ignorance, emphasizing its central role in the healthcare-poverty nexus.
- Global Impact of Poverty-Related Deaths: Approximately one-third of global deaths are attributed to poverty-related causes, impacting around 18 million people annually, mainly women and children.
- Effect of Malnutrition: Malnutrition contributes significantly to child mortality, with half of all cases being attributed to this issue.
- Disease Disproportionality: Developing countries, particularly in Africa, bear the brunt of diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis, with severe global implications.
- Low Health Investment in Africa: African countries allocate a meager portion of their budgets to healthcare, often falling below the recommended minimum of 15% as set by the Abuja Declaration.
- Resource Gap for Health: There exists a substantial gap between the funds needed to achieve health targets and the available health aid, raising significant challenges in addressing the disease burden in the region.
- Efficiency and Wealth Generation: To enhance health outcomes, it is imperative to use resources efficiently and to focus on wealth generation to support health investment.
- Osibogun Equation: A novel equation to estimate the cost of illness considers both tangible and intangible costs, highlighting the comprehensive impact of health issues.
- Health and Wealth Relationship: Health contributes to increased wealth and productivity, emphasizing the mutual influence of health and economic development.
- Human Development Index (HDI): The HDI, considering living conditions and education, is proposed as a more holistic measure of development.
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