Tinubu says reforms working but our hospitals are empty

President Bola Tinubu used his Democracy Day broadcast today, June 12, to claim that his economic reforms since 2023 have boosted federation revenues and given states more money for healthcare, education, and infrastructure. He said, and I quote, 'Since 2023, our reforms have restored stability and credibility to economic management. Federation revenues have risen, providing states and local governments with more resources for infrastructure, education, healthcare, and security.'

But here is the thing — while Tinubu is talking about improved fiscal space, Premium Times has been documenting the real situation on ground. Over 75,000 professional nurses and thousands of senior doctors have left Nigeria in the last five years. That is the famous Japa syndrome. Public hospitals are critically understaffed, and the remaining workers are overwhelmed. Delta State just had to launch an emergency recruitment drive for over 700 health workers just to keep basic services running. And that is just one state.

Investigations also found primary healthcare centres in rural areas, especially in states like Bauchi, that lack basic equipment, medicines, and qualified personnel. Pregnant women and newborns are facing life-threatening situations because of this. So when Tinubu says more money is going to healthcare, I have to ask — where exactly is this money going? Because it is clearly not reaching the people who need it most. Are we just supposed to clap for budget allocations while our hospitals remain empty and our doctors are in the UK?