Scientist Urges FG To Address Poverty For Improved Health

A medical imaging scientist, Dr Livinus Abonyi, has called on the federal government to tackle all forms of poverty and hunger with greater vigour to reduce the burden of ill health in the country.

Abonyi, a lecturer in the Department of Medical Radiography, Faculty of Clinical Sciences at the University of Lagos, College of Medicine, made the call in an interview with newsmen on Monday in Lagos.

He said that poverty contributes to ill health, which in turn aggravates the level of poverty.

He expressed concern over Nigeria’s growing food security challenges, driven by climate change, economic instability, limited access to quality agricultural inputs, and market constraints for smallholder farmers.

According to him, such a trend ends up having adverse effects on the country’s health indices.

“With over 40 per cent of the population living below the poverty line and nearly 20 per cent of children under five suffering from chronic malnutrition, based on the 2020 World Bank report, urgent action is needed to build resilient food systems to improve the nation’s health indices.

“Living in poverty can have a devastating effect on health, and poor health leads to poverty. In a typical and common Nigerian setting where more than five people live in a room apartment, this is not healthy, as overcrowded and poor living conditions can contribute to the spread of airborne diseases.

“Good leadership, strong partnerships, and targeted investment will change this trajectory to bridge the gaps with smart solutions,” he said.

Abonyi explained that the causes of poor health for millions globally are rooted in political, social and economic injustice, saying that poverty was both a cause and a consequence of poor health.

He added that poverty increases the chances of poor health and poor health, in turn, traps communities in poverty.

“The World Bank recognises the relationship between economic development and health. It also recognises that the poor health indices in most developing countries are a result of entrapment in a vicious circle of unrelieved poverty.

“Therefore, for our economy to be more vibrant, we need to pay more attention to the health and welfare of the population and, of course, the health sector,” he said.

The scientist explained that to improve the poor health indices, healthcare policies must be inclusive of all socio-economic strata.

He said tackling the structural causes of poverty and poor health, “for example, adopting measures to tackle inequality and injustice, are central to what is needed from the government.

“There must be universal basic healthcare coverage and provision of health insurance to Nigerians, especially the rural community dwellers.

“Reducing poverty, improving nutrition and making sure people have access to safe water and sanitation, as well as strengthening national health systems, is of the utmost importance. Otherwise, tackling one particular threat simply leaves people open to another deadly disease soon afterwards,’’ Abonyi explained.

Scientist Urges FG To Address Poverty For Improved Health is first published on The Whistler Newspaper