Public health is far more than hospitals and medical treatment—it is the backbone of a nation’s economic strength. In Nigeria, where millions grapple with preventable diseases and rising medical expenses consume household income, experts warn that neglecting healthcare is not only a social crisis but a significant threat to economic growth.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Speaking in an interview monitored by Nivo News, Yusuf Hassan Wada, Health Policy and Advocacy Officer for the African Region at the Society for Family Health, underscored the critical link between health and national productivity. He stressed that a country cannot achieve sustainable development when its workforce is weakened by disease, poor access to care, and escalating healthcare costs.

According to Wada, economic growth and public health are deeply interconnected. When citizens are healthy, they live longer, work more efficiently, and contribute more meaningfully to national output. Conversely, a high disease burden drains resources, reduces life expectancy, and weakens productivity. In Nigeria, where both communicable and non-communicable diseases remain widespread, investing in healthcare is not merely a moral obligation but an economic strategy that lowers costs and accelerates growth.

He noted that poor health undermines productivity through absenteeism, reduced performance on the job, and premature deaths. Malaria alone, he explained, costs Nigeria billions of naira in lost work hours, while chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes diminish the potential of skilled professionals. In rural and informal sectors, illness directly reduces agricultural output and family income, creating a vicious cycle of poverty and stagnation.

Wada also highlighted the economic damage caused by health emergencies like COVID-19, cholera, and Lassa fever. These outbreaks, he said, disrupt supply chains, drain government budgets, erode investor confidence, and destroy small and medium-sized businesses. The COVID-19 pandemic, in particular, demonstrated that health crises inevitably translate into economic crises, forcing governments to divert development funds into emergency responses.

Proper healthcare financing, Wada argued, is among the most cost-effective drivers of growth. Every naira spent on preventive care and primary health services saves multiples in avoided hospital costs and lost productivity. Nations that experienced rapid economic transformation, particularly in East Asia, deliberately invested in health and education. Nigeria, he urged, must follow that example and stop viewing healthcare as a drain on resources.

On the financial strain of non-communicable diseases, Wada explained that lifelong conditions like diabetes and hypertension push families into poverty and put unsustainable pressure on public budgets. Out-of-pocket spending—currently over 70% of Nigeria’s total health expenditure—continues to devastate households, underscoring the urgent need for broader health insurance coverage. Expanding insurance schemes to include informal workers, he said, would protect citizens from catastrophic health costs while providing predictable funding for hospitals and clinics.

Wada further emphasized that unequal access to quality healthcare between rural and urban areas weakens national productivity. Rural communities, heavily reliant on agriculture, suffer higher mortality rates and poor immunization coverage, which directly affects food security and income. Without equitable health access, he warned, Nigeria cannot fully harness its demographic dividend.

Public-private partnerships, Wada added, are essential to bridge financing and infrastructure gaps. Collaborations in pharmaceutical supply chains, diagnostics, and insurance administration improve both service quality and economic outcomes, while creating jobs and boosting investor confidence.

Reflecting on lessons from the pandemic, Wada called for greater domestic manufacturing of medical supplies, stronger disease surveillance, and universal healthcare coverage. He cautioned that if health funding remains inadequate, Nigeria faces the risk of an unproductive population, deepening poverty, weakened investment inflows, and long-term economic instability.

“Underfunding health is not just a public health issue,” Wada concluded. “It is an economic time bomb that threatens Nigeria’s future.”