Public health analyst Dr. Yvonne Olaloku has called on Nigerian policymakers and journalists to prioritize evidence-based data in shaping national health policies, especially in the fight against non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
Speaking during the second session of the Brand Journalists Association of Nigeria’s health policy workshop held at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Dr. Olaloku delivered a thought-provoking presentation titled “Let the Data Speak.” She emphasized that without accurate and transparent data, national health decisions risk being ineffective or even counterproductive.
“You cannot fight what you cannot see. And what you see must be based on truth, not guesswork. That’s where data comes in,” she said.
Dr. Olaloku stressed that Nigeria’s poor health coverage — with less than 5% of the population enrolled in health insurance — is a reflection of systemic issues rooted in poor data management and underfunded information systems.
Dr. Olaloku also addressed fiscal health interventions, including Nigeria’s modest taxes on sugary drinks (₦10/litre), alcohol (₦75/litre), and tobacco (₦84 per pack), questioning their implementation and effectiveness in curbing unhealthy consumption.
“The big question is not just whether to tax, but whether those taxes work — and whether they’re enforced,” she noted.
She urged journalists to report not just statistics but to investigate the effectiveness of policies, budgetary allocations, and gaps in health delivery.
Among her key recommendations:
- Prioritize health equity in policy design.
- Strengthen the National Health Information System with training and infrastructure.
- Promote and fund independent health research.
- Monitor and evaluate ongoing health policies.
- Improve budgetary allocation — citing that Nigeria still allocates only around 5% of its national budget to health, far below the 15% target agreed under the 2001 Abuja Declaration.
Dr. Olaloku concluded with a strong call to action:
“In public health, data is not just numbers. It is justice. It is how we identify suffering and design systems to fix it. Let the data speak — and let it lead us to better outcomes.”
Her session reinforced the urgent need for data-driven governance in Nigeria’s healthcare system and spotlighted the media’s role in ensuring transparency and accountability.
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