“Poor Population Management May Threaten Healthcare Delivery,” Hasken Matasa
AREWA AGENDA – Large population according to experts has serious relationship with infectious diseases and other aspects of daily life.
As Nigeria’s population continue to swell in size and structure, commentators on the 47th episode of Hasken Matasa Radio Program believes that while effective population management is fundamental to development, the country’s rising population explosion may threaten healthcare delivery.
In the live radio program themed; “effect of population and infectious diseases on our health and sustainable development,” discussants believe population could be a blessing or curse, depending on utilisation or underutilisation.
Dr Musa Muhammad Bello, a health practitioner from the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), a guest in the programme said population is an important factor in any country because it informs the authority on how to manage the people and the resources of the country.
“World Population Day is marked and celebrated on the 11th day of July every year. This has been going on for the past 35years, it discusses the progress, challenges, way forward and problems associated with world’s population, paying a special attention to the underdeveloped and developing countries in Africa.
“According to the United Nations, the world has a population of over 7 billion with Asia and Africa having the largest figures of over 4.6 and 1 billion respectively. The value changes constantly because as people die on daily basis, others are born.
“Having accurate data on population size aid the government on how to rule and the quantity of social amenities (electricity, schools, hospitals etcetera) that should be provided for the masses.”
Having said that, Dr Musa said over population has negative effect on education economy, environment and health.
Focusing on health he said: “Over population increases risk of infection especially for diseases that are airborne, when increase in population occurs without considerable increase in food production, competition sets in for the little available, leaving others to suffer from hunger and malnutrition.
“Stress related illness, limited opportunity to access healthcare – low doctor to patient ratio, insufficient special service (neurologist, cardiologist, oncologist etc.), and inadequate drug supply are all issue that sprout from the ever growing tree of over population. ”
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Proffering solutions, the Dr. advised journalist of all calibre; TV, radio, print, online and social media, to be engaged in vigorous sensitisation on over population, “youths should also take advantage of the population and venture into business, priorities should be given to females in term of education and job opportunities, equity instead of equality should be considered in providing social amenities – this will reduce rural-urban migration, agriculture mainly practiced in rural centres should be made attractive and finally laws should be made to enforce ‘Responsible Parenthood’.”
Dr. Muhammad Abbas, a Science and Laboratory specialist who joined the programme virtually said population has profound effect on health, and just as security is everybody’s business, controlling population should also be.
“Overpopulation leads to overcrowding and overcrowding leads to easy disease transmission and more social vices like rape, kidnap and homosexuality.” he added.
“To reduce the problems associated with over population, children should be educated on safety measures in overpopulated areas, adequate social amenities should be provided, laws should be enacted to regulate population, and communities should form Non-governmental Organisation (NGOs) to help each other because the government cannot solve all the problem. ” he advised.
Another guest in the programme Fatima Rufa’i, who is a journalists contributed by calling on all to embrace cleanliness and environmental sanitation while other stakeholders organise symposium intermittently for more enlightenment on the subject.
Comrades M. I. Muhammad Buji and Isah Aliyu Yandutse graced the radio programme all the way from Jigawa. From their point of view, lack of awareness is the major challenge associated with controlling population and infectious diseases.
To achieve a better feat, they advocated for more sensitisation, environmental sanitation, clean, available and affordable drinking water.
On a final call, the youths were charged to wake up from slumber and make the difference they are suppose to make.
Recall that the National Council of States (NCS) rose from its meeting in Abuja in April with a resolution that Nigeria will hold its national population census in April 2023 after the general election, slated for February and March 2023.
The National Population Commission will first conduct a Pilot Census in June, 2022 after political parties primary elections 16 years after the last census was held in August 2006.
Briefing newsmen after the council’s meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, the Director General of Nigeria Population Commission (NPC), Nasir Isa-Kwarra, stated that the commission will deploy high technology in conducting the national census.
Hasken Matasa, which literally translates into “Light of the Youths”, is a weekly programme on topical youth oriented issues organised by the Community Health and Research Initiative (CHR) and the Youth Society for Prevention of Infectious Diseases and Social Vices (YOSPIS), is sponsored by the Aminu Magashi Garba Foundation (AMG Foundation).
