Royal Philips, a global leader in health
technology, recently released findings from a survey, aimed to understand what
the ‘Future of Health’ might look like in Nigeria and any associated
challenges, this was subsequently capped with a conference on the
“State of Healthcare System in Nigeria” under the auspices of Philips and
Forbes at Wheatbaker Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos recently. SUCCESS DAMIAN reports:
According
to the Data over 500 Nigerians interviewed, shows that 52% trust the healthcare
system, although only 36% feel that their healthcare needs are being met. This
highlights a clear discrepancy between the expectations of Nigerians and the
reality of the healthcare system, indicating inefficiencies and ample room for
growth.
Findings
reveal that with more than half of Nigerians leaning on hospital facilities for
the most minor of ailments, there is a clear need for improved access to
primary care practitioners, local health facilities, tracking health indicators
and a wider availability of information about health, nutrition and fitness. This
approach is further reinforced by the fact that majority (65%) of Nigerians
believe improved access to health facilities would make them more effective in
managing their health, thus alleviating pressure on the healthcare system.
In his keynote address, healthcare
futurist, Michael Jackson, spoke about the recipe for change which includes
computing, communications, connectivity, amongst others. He also illustrated
the changing face of technology and how this has impacted the world and the
day-to-day life of its people
He spoke about the evolution of
business which now focuses more on skills, knowledge, decentralisation,
partnerships and digital engagement and the fast pace of technological
development, encouraging healthcare professionals to emulate this progression
in rolling out digital healthcare solutions for Nigeria and Africa.
Furthermore, he gave examples of
digital, connected technologies being developed in Africa and delivering
healthcare solutions to Africans today; for example, Philips’ community life
centres using solar power in Kenya. He said technology can help tackle
challenges right here in Nigeria such as the inequitable ratio of 1 MD: 25000
patients and the language gap across the 500 dialects spoken here, encouraging
healthcare professionals to adopt this tactic: simplify, smarten-up, specialize.
During
a Panel session which dwelt on the Role of technology in the transformation of
healthcare in Nigeria,
Jasper Westerink CEO, Philips Africa said aside from
the provision of important healthcare solutions through technology, Philips is
committed to educating and creating awareness towards the reduction of risk
factors associated with unhealthy lifestyles. The provision of technologies
that enable a healthy lifestyle also remains a key priority for Philips Africa
He also touched on specific
examples of healthcare product innovations from Philips, such as handheld
probes and the importance of training opportunities for non-healthcare
professional to operate these, adding that having a wide spectrum of healthcare
attendants embedded in communities would go a long way to fix issues with the
overburdened primary healthcare systems. Access to technologies that capture
early diagnosis is another way to alleviate this burden, he said
Westerink emphasised the need for
collaborations, partnerships and the provision of fast paced healthcare
technologies towards make positive impact on lives. He said, challenges exist
but so do opportunities to bring together resources and partnerships in order
to leapfrog sustainable healthcare in communities. He cited the private sector,
government and Nigeria’s young and vibrant population as key stakeholders to
bring to the table.
He ended the session by
reiterating the importance of education, prevention, a focus on acute
challenges and harnessing the resources of stakeholders who want to make a
change in Nigeria’s healthcare sector. He said that, in principle you can solve
Nigeria’s healthcare challenges with the structures in place
Dr. Jide Idris, Commissioner of Health, Lagos State, on his part the Commissioner touched on the importance of training to
ensure healthcare professionals are well equipped, applied technologies, health
promotion and preventative solutions. He also
spoke about the importance of communication and behavioural change initiatives
in order to leapfrog from education to ensuring that technologies are well
understood and applies in communities
Idris
discussed initiatives that have been put in place by
Lagos State to incentivise private sector participation. He said that, the
State government is committed to creating platforms to stimulate private sector
participation in healthcare and is partnering healthcare equipment
manufacturers to lease to private healthcare providers amongst other examples.
He mentioned a public private partnership (PPP) law in the State
aimed towards stimulating and create an enabling environment and the
government’s commitment to developing key infrastructure
Clare Omatseye, President, Healthcare Federation of Nigeria
Ms. Omatseye mentioned that, with
technology being a major driver of change, especially today when patients are
digitally and empowered, healthcare solutions must be incorporated into
everyday innovations and meet patients where they are
She added that, while Nigeria has
as many skilled consultants as countries such as the USA and the UK, due to
brain-drain, there’s a need to close the digital divide so consultancy services
can be delivered seamlessly across borders
Omatseye mentioned some challenges
facing the healthcare sector including financing and access to capital as well
as the importance of collaboration with sectors outside healthcare in order to
deliver viable solutions
Focusing on the issue of
brain-drain, she mentioned some of the top reasons for this including
remuneration, access to technologies and better working environments; all of
which she said can be fixed with the right level of commitment and investment
She also talked about Nigeria’s
vibrant private healthcare sector which is unfortunately fragmented due to gaps
in solutions. She said it’s important for government to partner the private
sector and bring in their passion in order to achieve the ideal formula for
success in healthcare delivery
She ended by decrying the
phenomenon of patients getting more impoverished when they get sick and the
need for alternative and cost effective means so access to quality healthcare
through PPP is available to all. She encouraged government to provide a pool of
funds towards this, to advocate for mandatory universal healthcare and to spend
more time on prevention rather than cures
Martins Ifijeh, Head, Health Desk, This Day Newspaper, talked
extensively about the need for prioritisation by government of more budget
allocation to healthcare provision in Nigeria
He said, there’s more the Nigerian
government can do with regards to universal health coverage, stating that it
has to be constitutionally mandated in order to achieve desired results.
He also said that, the issue of
universal healthcare should be highlighted more in Nigeria’s political
discourse and also emphasised the need for collaboration by stating that
government should bring stakeholders to the table
Initially,
Kunle
Elebute (KPMG Africa) touched on the importance of partnerships towards
ensuring equitable healthcare. He focused on the importance of harnessing
capacity in the private healthcare sector to fill gaps in the public sector
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