Former presidential aide, Reno Omokri, has addressed Nigerians who blame the government and hospitals for medical tragedies, including the recent demise of singer Nanyah, arguing that healthcare is not charity and must be funded.
Reacting to recent deaths that sparked public outrage, Omokri said many private hospitals hesitate to treat patients without insurance or financial guarantees because unpaid bills often lead to reputational and legal trouble.
He urged Nigerians to enroll in health insurance schemes and save for emergencies.
Omokri also questioned demands for world-class healthcare without corresponding tax contributions, noting that Nigeria is not oil-rich when its revenue is divided among its large population.
He noted that sustainable healthcare requires personal responsibility, insurance coverage, and tax compliance.
His words …
“Healthcare: Nigerians Happen to Nigeria More Than Nigeria Happens to Nigerians!
Recently, there has been a lot of condemnation of innocent Nigerian hospitals and healthcare centres because of the sad case of Ifunanya Nwangene, who died from complications arising from a snake bite, after hospitals either would not or could not treat her.
May her soul rest in peace. Ifunanya was a rising star who did not deserve to die the way she did. My condolences to her family. Nigeria suffered a huge loss!
Before her, there was a similar outcry after the passing of an Arise TV news anchor, reporter, and producer, Somtochukwu Christelle Maduagwu, whose death was initially blamed on medical personnel before subsequent facts exonerated them.
These incidents will keep occurring, and we will continue complaining, while nothing will change unless we change as a people and a society.
What do I mean?
As a people, we tend to emote over things like this, rather than reason them out, learn needed lessons and make societal changes to prevent reoccurrences.
The primary purpose of setting up a private medical establishment is to save human lives, promote societal well-being, and make money in the process.
All three components must be in place before you can have a functioning healthcare system.
One thing Nigerians have to understand is that healthcare is not charity, and hospitals are not non-profit organisations. If you have a medical emergency and you do not have health insurance or funds to pay out of pocket, and cannot provide a financial guarantor, it will be risky for any private hospital to treat you.
If they treat you without first collecting payment or a financial guarantee, you, as a Nigerian, will NEVER pay them. Come on, admit it. Am I lying?
As soon as you get well, you will disappear!
If you don’t disappear because the hospital physically restrains you, you will emotionally blackmail them on social media and sites like Saharareporters, as “wicked people”. And the Nigerian public will support you. The police will get involved, and the hospital will incur legal costs and suffer reputational damage.
So, if you want access to emergency healthcare in Nigeria, get medical insurance from the National Health Insurance Authority. If you don’t want health insurance from a public insurer, get private medical insurance, which is readily available in Nigeria.
But don’t go to private hospitals without health insurance, money, or a financial guarantee, and then claim that Nigeria happened to you when they refuse to treat you or they hesitate to invest lifesaving but expensive medicines and procedures on you.
The truth is that in that circumstance, it was you who happened to Nigeria, because you want everything without contributing anything!
I know that you watch American and European movies and see how citizens there access Accident and Emergency wards. But what Hollywood does not show you is the 38% tax that they pay on their incomes.
And if you are not a taxpayer, they will still treat you because they have your Social Security or National Insurance number. But after treating you, they will send you a bill, which, if you don’t pay, they will sue you in court, seize all your assets, and if there are still outstanding, they will garnish your income, meaning that any money you make and which enters your bank account will be seized.
If you are a foreigner, your name will be sent to their foreign office or state department, and you will never get another visa to their country until you pay what you owe. Even if you pay, you may likely still be red flagged!
And, as a last resort, you can be prosecuted, sentenced, and imprisoned. Oh yes!
Do you pay tax? Yet you want world-class healthcare. Who will pay for it? Government? From where?
Oh! I hear you say Nigeria is oil-rich? Who told you that lie? Get out your calculator and divide our $36 billion in annual oil and gas income by our 230 million population, which grows by about 5 million or more each year.
Qatar, with 2.8 million people and $70 billion in annual oil and gas income, is rich. Nigeria is not oil-rich. We are oil-poor! And without taxes, our poverty will only increase!
So, if you love yourself, get health insurance, or put something readinshr aside. If you have an iPhone, hang out in clubs and punted. and bone-straight hair, but do not have medical insurance or an emergency fund, you are probably not the most responsible person.
Reno Omokri
Gospeller. Deep Thinker. #TableShaker. #1 Bestselling author of Facts Versus Fiction: The True Story of the Jonathan Years. Hodophile. Hollywood Magazine Humanitarian of the Year, 2019. Business Insider Influencer of the Year 2022. 21st Most Talked About Person in Africa, 2024.”
