FG to position health sector for provision of high-quality services

In order to provide high-quality healthcare services to Nigerians, the Federal Government must restructure and reposition the country’s healthcare system.

In order to provide validated and trustworthy data that can be used to provide care to the people, it has finished plans to digitize the country’s health care system and will launch a National Electronic Medical Record platform.

Speaking to reporters yesterday in Abuja, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Mohammed Ali Pate, announced that the government is planning to mobilize private capital to invest in physical infrastructure, equipment, and human resources in an effort to restore confidence in the healthcare system of the country and deter Nigerians from seeking treatment abroad for conditions that can be treated domestically.

In order for our people to have faith in our healthcare system, he continued, “We need to make sure that our hospitals operate better. In order for the health workers who have left the country to start returning, we need to address the issue of the workforce that we are losing. To reduce the effects of emigration, we will restructure our human resources for health. To do this, we will expand the local medical workforce pipeline and keep hold of the best people.

According to Pate, if the government works to upgrade the country’s infrastructure and address the problems facing health workers, it will go a long way toward putting an end to the ongoing strike in the healthcare industry and luring some of the workers who have fled back home.

The minister said that as part of efforts to address the ongoing strikes in the health sector, he met with four professional associations, along with the Minister of State and the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, and they acknowledged the need to put the past behind them and start to rebuild trust and restore the respectability of the health profession.

In addition, Pate highlighted that Nigeria’s doctor to population ratio falls short of WHO standards despite the country having over 400,000 health workers in various categories. So there is a need to train additional healthcare professionals.

The Minister gave the assurance that the government would improve the country’s health security so that outbreaks could be handled quickly when they occurred.

He asserted that the state governments must play a significant part in advancing the health industry.

To track success, lessen political involvement, and strengthen inclusivity, we must enhance the quality of health governance. The foundation for reunifying our nation and fostering togetherness can be improved health.

“We will put equities first and focus on providing excellent customer service. All Nigerians would have access, especially the most vulnerable groups.

“Our own mentality will change to become more focused on people in order to make sure that individuals feel respected and valued. In order to achieve goals of import substitution, we will unlock value chains, enable the manufacturing of medical equipment, goods, and medicines in Nigeria for Nigerians, and make sure that these goods and services have reliable marketplaces and can reach their target audiences.

“We will maintain health security and make sure Nigeria is ready to respond to epidemics, pandemics, and humanitarian disasters in an effective manner.”

Earlier, Tunji Alausa, the minister of state for health, stated that the nation’s research facilities needed to be updated and promised that the government would establish a research fund.

If prompt action was not taken, he warned, the country will be severely burdened by the increased incidence of communicable diseases.

Alausa promised that the healthcare system would be properly regulated, allowing for the accountability of healthcare facilities.