Experts, including the Chairman, the Nigerian Medical Association, Kwara State Chapter, Prof. Olayinka Buhari, have called for improvement in the nation's health care delivery.

Others are a Medical Consultant, Prof. T.M. Akande; Senior Lecturer and Consultant Ophthalmologist, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Dr. Modupe Ademola-Popoola; Medical Director, Ola-Olu Hospital, Dr. Sam Oloruntoba; and Senior Special Assistant to the Kwara State Governor on Community Health, Prof. Babatunde Opabola, have advocated great improvement in the nation's health care delivery.

They noted that there was the need for the health sector to achieve excellence and be in tandem with the World Health Organisation's standard. They called for collaborative efforts among stakeholders to advance health care delivery.

They spoke during the chapter's annual general meeting and scientific conference entitled, "Breaking the Barrier to Effective health care delivery," in Ilorin.

Buhari noted that the health care sector was far below standard, saying a greater part of the budget for the sector was recurrent expenditure, leaving small percentage for capital votes, training, research and development.

He said the government must develop the political will with which to surmount the challenges in the sector.

He disclosed that the NMA had embarked on free health care services in some communities in the state, noting that the services included medical consultations, blood pressure check, supply of essential drugs, screening for blood sugar, hepatitis, HIV, malaria parasites, eye examination, sight restoration and provision of reading glasses.

Akande lamented that the health system was in a deplorable state, with an overall health system performance ranking of 187th out of the 191-member states of the World Health Organisation.