Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire has called for collaborations understanding among players in the healthcare sector to be able to achieve quality healthcare delivery in Nigeria.
Speaking at the 2022 Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Award, NHEA, Ehanire who was represented at the 8th annual event that was held in Lagos at the weekend, by the Chief Medical Director, CMD, of FMC Ebute Metta, Dr Adedamola Dada, said: “Understanding and collaboration are very key in all situations especially in the healthcare sector that is crowded with other relevant and important professionals who play vital roles in healthcare delivery.”
Commending the organisers of the award, he said: “This award is timely in this present dispensation that the country has successfully contained the COVID-19 pandemic and it’s variants which has threatened the economy of the country and the delivery if health care services to Nigerians.
“This award will afford us the opportunity to contribute and do more to the health sector.
“I hope that an award of this sort should be able to solidify inter and intra professional relationships in the Nigerian healthcare sector aa we look forward to achieving the Universal Healthcare Coverage and join the rest of the globe in the pursuit of Sustainable Development Goals, SDG,” Ehanire said.
Also speaking, Founder of the Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Award and also the Project Director, Dr Wale Alabi, said one ways to achieve the best in the health sector and tackle brain drain is investment and partnership between the players in the private sector.
He said: “One of the best ways is more investment from the government, then partnership between the private sector to develop big facilities, good infrastructures where people can work and earn a living.”
Speaking on the impact of the award so far, he said: “What we have noticed is that most of the people that win the award go back and still try to improve their processes. Also, a lot people that were nominated too try to emulate them.”
He added that what inspired him to champion the award was that health sector before now did not have any national award like other sector of the economy.
Alabi however explained that this year’s award was special because: “We have more than 30 categories, for private providers, radiology, IVF, dialysis, insurance and different categories also about four COVID awards.
“We are also giving award to the governor of Lagos State for the Best Health Governor of the Year because during COVID, he brought in a lot of technologies to manage COVID.
“This year is going to be different because we have more Nigerians, healthcare organizations, state governments participating in this event unlike the previous events that we had more southern companies. Now we have companies from across Nigeria participating in the award.”
One of the recipients of the awards in the category of Insurance was the Commissioner, Ministry of Health, Kastina, Engr. Yakubu Nuhu.
According to him, “Kastina State has done wonderfully in the area of insurance and maybe that’s why we are recorgnised to be one of the beneficiaries today.”
