Healthcare is always a hot topic in Nigeria. Nigeria has some top class hospitals in different states but citizens still travel to first world countries for healthcare. This makes you wonder just how reliable healthcare in Nigeria is. Where does Nigeria rank among countries with the best healthcare system in Africa? Find out from the list below:
- South Africa
Private and public healthcare systems coexist in South Africa. The great majority of people are served by the public system. The federal Department of Health, the provinces’ health departments, and the local governments’ health departments all share authority and responsibility for providing healthcare services. There are around 400 governmental and over 200 private hospitals in the country. The largest regional hospitals are run by the provincial health departments. Teaching hospitals are managed directly by the national Department of Health, and there are about 10 major teaching hospitals. Third-largest hospital in the world, Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, is located in Johannesburg.
- Tunisia
Number two here is Tunisia, a North African country. Tunisia has a tax-funded public health system operated by the Caisse Nationale d’Assurance Maladie that covers most of the population. Primary care clinics, district and regional hospitals, and university hospitals are included. Out-of-pocket costs currently exceed half of overall health care costs. Private health care has 12% of the overall bed capacity and 70% of the top-of-the-line medical equipment. More than half of all doctors, 73% of dentists, and 80% of pharmacists work in the private sector. Interestingly, medical tourism is the second largest employment and earner of foreign currency in the country.
- Kenya
The Kenyan health care system is constructed so that complicated situations are prioritized. Private and church-run entities fill system gaps. The government owns and operates dispensaries around the country. These are monitored by the nursing officer at the respective health centre. Patients who cannot be nursed are directed to health centers. Counties in Kenya have county hospitals, which refer patients to district hospitals. Intensive care, life support, and specialized consultations are available at these regional centres.
- Algeria
Algeria is the second North African country on this list and it ranks at number 4. Access to Algeria’s public health care is free and open to all Algerian nationals. The Algerian government provides funding for the country’s public health care system. Preventive health care and clinics are preferred over hospitals in Algeria because of the country’s young population. The health care sector in Algeria is receiving additional funding to support the construction of its new facilities. This money will be used to purchase new medical equipment and expand hospital capacity.
- Nigeria
Here’s Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa. Nigeria ranks at number 5 in the list of countries with the best healthcare system in Africa. It is the obligation of all three levels of government in Nigeria to provide healthcare. However. involvement of private health care providers is clearly obvious in the delivery of health care. Also, many people also use traditional medicine and alternative medicine. As for tertiary healthcare, the federal government coordinates the affairs of university teaching hospitals, Federal Medical Centres , while the state manages general hospitals, and local governments focus on dispensaries.
- Egypt
Third North African country and also a part of the Middle East, Egypt comes at number 5. Egypt’s health care system is highly diverse, with numerous governmental and private providers and funders. Currently, Egypt’s health services are administered, funded, and delivered by agencies from all three economic sectors. Government health services in Egypt are organized as an integrated delivery system, with both financial and provider activities grouped together. The private sector comprises for-profit and non-profit businesses, traditional midwives, pharmacies, doctors, and hospitals of all sizes.
- Morocco
In Morocco, the state provides 85% of healthcare, while private providers offer 15%. The country has 149 public hospitals and 12,034 physicians, including an army hospital and medical center. In 2019, the government spent over 6% of GDP, about $1.63 billion, on healthcare, accounting for roughly 40% of total healthcare spending. More than 360 private clinics with 13,545 physicians and 10,346 beds are concentrated in the Casablanca-Settat and Rabat-Salé-Kénitra régions, accounting for the remaining 60% of healthcare spending.
- Rwanda
Rwanda is one of the landlocked countries in Africa. Nevertheless, the country ranks in the top 10 of countries with the best healthcare. A total of 499 health centers, 680 health posts, a handful of dispensaries, and 42 district hospitals make up Rwanda’s healthcare system. The Rwanda Military Hospital and the King Faisal Hospital Kigali are the four national referral hospitals. The most sophisticated is King Faisal Hospital, which is run for profit by the government but takes patients referred by other hospitals and clinics. It has a CT and MRI equipment, two dialysis machines, and a wide range of surgical skills.
- Tanzania
Tanzania’s health care system has improved greatly recently. Despite this, Tanzania’s healthcare system is nowhere near as good as wealthy nations’ or even South Africa’s. The country’s public healthcare system is currently understaffed, underfunded, and lacks proper medical technology. Most hospitals in Tanzania are in cities, therefore rural residents must go to cities for care. Most of these facilities require cash payment for treatment. In many cases, significant medical issues necessitate air evacuation to Kenya or South Africa, the nearby countries with the most advanced medical equipment.
- Zambia
Last here is Zambia, another landlocked country which is located in Southern Africa. Zambia may not boast of a good public health sector but the private health sector is good. Particularly, the private health sector has developed a reputation for high-quality care. The government has designated health care a priority. Zambia’s health systems are divided into three levels. The same administrative structure applies to health services, with the district as the primary focus, the provincial as secondary, and the university Teaching Hospital as tertiary.