LAGOS/Nigeria: The Federal Government has called for deeper collaboration between public and private sector players in the healthcare industry, describing Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) as a critical pathway to strengthening healthcare financing, expanding access to quality care and transforming Africa’s health systems.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, made the call on Tuesday at the Healthcare Leadership Conference held as part of the World Health Expo organised by the Healthcare Federation of Nigeria (HFN) in Lagos.
The conference, themed “Enabling Market Access and Investment Readiness to Drive Health System Transformation,” attracted healthcare leaders, policymakers, investors, manufacturers and over 300 exhibitors from across Africa and other parts of the world.
Speaking during the conference session, Salako said sustainable and world-class healthcare delivery could only be achieved through stronger partnerships among governments, private sector operators and development stakeholders.
According to him, Public-Private Partnerships have remained one of the most effective tools for mobilising resources and financing healthcare development across the continent.
He noted that Africa possesses enormous expertise, talent and resources that can be better harnessed through strategic collaboration to improve healthcare outcomes for millions of citizens.
“Sustainable and standard healthcare system requires a stronger public-private partnership. Africa has great expertise and resources that can be better harnessed through collaboration,” the minister said.
Salako reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to promoting partnerships that would enhance healthcare delivery and strengthen the country’s health infrastructure, describing the expo as one of Africa’s most impactful healthcare platforms.
On Nigeria’s preparedness against the threat of Ebola transmission, the minister disclosed that the government had intensified surveillance activities at all points of entry into the country, including airports and border posts, to prevent any possible outbreak.
Also speaking, Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, disclosed that the state government had commenced comprehensive healthcare financing reforms aimed at ensuring every resident has access to affordable and quality healthcare services.
Abayomi said the state was aggressively promoting health insurance coverage as a means of reducing out-of-pocket healthcare expenses while increasing investment and confidence in the healthcare sector.
According to him, multiple health insurance packages are already available across public and private healthcare facilities, creating opportunities for greater collaboration between both sectors.
“The state government is now in the process of healthcare financial reform, where we are promoting the uptake of insurance by all our citizens, so that people have a safeguard in their pocket as sickness cannot be predicted.
“We are working with regulators to ensure these insurance packages are fair, affordable and standardised for the environment. That will drive the whole issue around supply and demand of healthcare,” Abayomi stated.
Earlier, Exhibition Manager of the World Health Expo, Daniel Green, said the event was designed to bring together healthcare manufacturers, policymakers, investors and international companies to explore opportunities capable of reshaping Africa’s healthcare market.
Green noted that the continent presents enormous opportunities for healthcare investment and market expansion, attracting participants from countries including China, India, Pakistan, Morocco, the United States and the United Kingdom.
“There are a lot of international audiences at the exhibition with over 300 exhibitors. I believe in the next three days, the exhibitors are going to see a lot of success from a very enthusiastic market coming here,” he said.
Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Aliko Ahmed, Special Regional Representative of the West Africa Regional Coordinating Centre (RCC), challenged African manufacturers to place greater emphasis on quality and standards, stressing that product quality remains the key determinant of market access and competitiveness.
In her remarks, President of the Healthcare Federation of Nigeria, Ms. Njide Ndili, underscored the importance of collaboration among stakeholders in strengthening healthcare systems across Africa.
She said the exhibition was designed to showcase healthcare products, consumables, equipment and services while fostering partnerships capable of accelerating healthcare development and investment across the continent.
