Search

As immediate past permanent secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Health in Nigeria and former chief medical director of one of the country?s top medical centers, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Femi Olugbile has had a close view of his country?s health care progress over the years. Despite decades of economic booms and busts and sociopolitical turmoil, Nigeria?s health systems have grown, Olugbile says?but not enough. The average life expectancy is around 52 years. Ongoing problems with extremist groups like Boko Haram have hamstrung vaccination programs, and this year, the country experienced the first Ebola threat in its history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]