Lagos — The increasing menace of maternal death shows the contempt with which government treats health concerns of not only mothers but citizens of the country. Despite the massive fortune at its beck and call, it is unfortunate that effective healthcare system remains a mirage in the nation.

In a report by the World Health Organisation, United Nations Fund for Population Activities, United Nations Children's fund and the World Bank, the country recorded the highest per centage ratio of maternal deaths in the world in 2005.

With a population of over 140 million, the country had 59,000 maternal deaths. India, with a population of over a billion recorded 117,000 deaths to trail Nigeria on per centage rating.

It is a shame that the country is not showing positive light in the crave for workable healthcare delivery system in the African continent. More inconceivable is the fact that less endowed African countries rated higher than the nation in the global body's report.

Every administration since independence had come up with rhetorical health care policy. But none till date has been able to move the country out of the sorry state in which its health institutions are in today. Health is said to be wealth. In realisation of this fact, the United Nations directed member countries to set aside 26 per cent of their annual budgets to meet health needs.

The nation has ignored this call as less than five per cent usually was allocated to the all important health sector.

Nothing has changed in the proposed budget for next year. Yet, the health care centres across the nation are in a state of shambles. Most maternity and related centres merely exist in name and not functionality in dispensing safe health delivery duties.

They lack the required medical tools to work with while most of them are starved of competent medical personnel. It is a common thing to see maternity centres and general medical clinics/hospitals being manned by auxiliary nurses and other quack medical personnel.

Most of the competent ones have travelled abroad to serve other countries in search of greener pasture.

The implication of this is that patients who patronise these places pay with their lives. Yet, these medical centres have licences giving them legal authorisation to operate as maternity centres/clinics or hospitals.

The government must have a change of attitude as the report has not projected the nation in good light. Between 2006 and 2007 not covered by the report, the healthcare system in the country did not improve, which shows that the country might still be shamefully holding onto its current unenviable position of a country with the highest percentage of maternal deaths in the world.

If most of our leaders can shun corruption and be more patriotic, the current pathetic plight in the health sector can be remedied. Then, maternal deaths would be drastically reduced if not completely annihilated.