Medical professionals advocate collaboration to improve the delivery of health services

The Medical Women Association of Nigeria (NWAN) and other stakeholders have called for collaboration among medical professionals to strengthen healthcare delivery in the country.

The experts made this call on Thursday in Abuja at the association’s Women in Medicine, Health and Wellness conference, whose theme is: “Strengthening networks for timely diagnosis and care.”

The event was organised in collaboration with Focus Africa.

The group’s national president, Rosemary Ogu, said the conference aims to enhance collaborations to optimize patient care.

According to Ms. Ogu, collaboration and knowledge sharing are essential to achieving optimal results, adding that by “combining our respective experience and expertise, we can leverage our collective strengths to produce superior outcomes and improve patient care.”

Speaking on the provision of health services at the grassroots level and universal health coverage, the Federal Capital Territory Authority (FCTA) Health and Environment Services Mandate Secretary, Fasawe Adedolapo, noted that the health have been taken to the grassroots, emphasizing the importance of prevention over treatment. .

He stated that the tireless health promotion and advocacy efforts have yielded positive results and the FCT community has fully embraced the message.

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Government efforts

Ms Adedolapo highlighted some of the efforts made by the government to ensure better healthcare outcomes.

She said: “What we have done is try to increase our training opportunities.

“We have many development partners: USAID, DFID, UNICEF, the World Bank, and we are not only acquiring medical equipment and instruments from them, but we are also acquiring new ideas, new ways of medical practice, the best approach to rapid diagnosis and early treatment.”

He added that the primary health care system in the FCT is remarkably strong, with an impressive 362 primary health care centres serving a population of less than 5 million.

He explained that the FCT health insurance system has made significant progress, registering vulnerable people and recently extending free coverage to all pregnant women and their babies during the first year of life.

She noted that these initiatives have had a positive impact on health outcomes, contributing to the reduction of maternal mortality.

According to her, with a strong primary health care infrastructure and inclusive insurance coverage, the FCT is poised to achieve better health outcomes and reduce maternal mortality rates.

Networks for health

Also in her remarks, the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health, Ipalibo Banigo, noted that networking is critical to achieving sustainable and optimal healthcare outcomes in the country.

Mrs. Banigo, a Senator representing Rivers West Senatorial District, stressed the collaboration between health workers, institutions and communities.

“In our interconnected world, the power of networking cannot be overemphasized. We need to share knowledge, resources and best practices and ensure that no one is left out,” he stated.

“We must take advantage of strengthening networks to close gaps in access to health care. We cannot leave the communities because they are the foundations.”

Improve the delivery of healthcare services

In 2023, President Bola Tinubu announced that his administration is prioritizing the improvement of Nigeria’s health sector through significant investments and increased funding in the proposed 2024 budget.

Speaking at the launch of the Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and the signing of the Health Renewal Compact in Abuja, the President reaffirmed his commitment to providing quality healthcare, a key promise of his “Renewed Hope” agenda.

Mr Tinubu emphasized the crucial role of primary health care in developing a strong and integrated health care system, and unveiled plans for a comprehensive review of infrastructure, equipment and workforce development of primary health care, starting in 2024.

The initiative aims to improve the capacity and effectiveness of frontline health workers, ensuring equitable access to quality health services and strengthening the foundations of Nigeria’s health system.