By Chioma Obinna

A  former governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, has bemoaned the state of critical care in the country, stating that 43 years after the first Intensive Care Unit, ICU, was established in Nigeria, critical care in the country is still in its infancy.

Uduaghan, who acknowledged that critical care is expensive anywhere in the world, said less than 7 percent budgetary allocation committed to healthcare was very low compared to the World Health Organisation, WHO, 15 percent recommendation.

Uduaghan spoke in Lagos, during the Annual General Meeting 7 Scientific Conference of the Critical Care Society of Nigeria, CCSN, with the theme: “Challenges of Critical Care in Nigeria”.

The erstwhile governor said as a way out, there is need for the country to urgently go into Private –Public- Partnership, PPP, model to ensure that challenges of critical care services which includes, inadequate training, and maintenance of equipment among others are dully taken care of.

“There is need to increase manpower development, level of awareness on basic resuscitations among health workers,” he stated.

He stressed the need for the country to pursue critical care through effective healthcare financing.

Corroborating their views, a Critical Care Physician and Secretary, CSSN, Dr Kingsley Tobi said Nigeria is below standard in terms of critical care.