Medical Experts Seek Sustainable Options for Healthcare Financing

Bennett Oghifo

Medical experts have called on government at federal and state levels to adopt sustainable options for healthcare financing in 2023.

The experts, who discussed at a one-day symposium, organised by a not-for-profit organisation, BOSKOH Healthcare Mission International (HMI) in Lagos yesterday practically set an agenda on the need for aspirants into political offices, to include in their plans the provision of access to healthcare in underserved and vulnerable communities to improve the health, wellness, and quality of life of the population mostly in need, ahead of the 2023 general election.

Featuring some of the best minds in the medical field in Lagos State and even beyond, participants converged on the Adeyemi Bero Conference Hall of the State Government Secretariat in Alausa, Ikeja to deliberate on the theme, ‘Health-Care Financing: The Sustainable Options.’

The symposium was also positioned against the backdrop of the campaign for the re-election of the Lagos State governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, on  one hand, and the presidential bid of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kashim Shettima, the presidential flag bearers of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The symposium, which also came in timely because of the need to revamp Nigeria’s health sector as the country prepares for the polls in next year’s General Elections to elect leaders that will lead the country for another four years, became necessary as Nigerians move to elect candidates that have demonstrated acumen for developing the health sector in order to bring their expertise to bear at the national level.

Welcoming guests to the event, CEO of BOSKOH-HMI, Nike Osa, explained the aims and objectives of the non-profit health service provider as she gave a brief rundown of the schedule for the day’s activities even as she expressed gratitude to the governor, the deputy governor and their wives for what she described as “all the tremendous support” BOSKOH had received from them. She thereafter sent a positive message  of “Renewed Hope”, the motto of the APC presidential campaign,  praying that not only will Tinubu triumph at the poll but Sanwo-Olu will also return for a second term.

Goodwill message from the Lagos State Secretariat of the ruling APC was delivered by Fouad Oki while Dr. Karim presented the HTC4BAT Organisation’s solidarity message.

Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotosho, set the tone for the symposium with his exposition of  Governor  Sanwo-Olu’s achievements from 2019 to date as he explained what the Sanwo-Olu Administration had done in terms of infrastructural developments across the State in the past four years. Reeling out impressive figures of classroom constructions, road development and the near-completion of the Blue and Red Railway Lines, Omotosho expressed optimism  that the government would do more with another mandate just as Tinubu will do as the next President.

The State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, who represented the state governor, Sanwo-Olu, at the event, delivered a presentation on the achievements of the healthcare component of the THEMES Agenda of the Lagos State Government. Drawing the attention of those in attendance to the importance of continuity, maintaining that Lagos is the State to emulate today in terms of healthcare delivery, the Commissioner said the State Government had put in a lot of effort into collaboration and forward-thinking initiatives in healthcare delivery.

 He cited the example of how the State handled the Ebola case and how the Centre for Disease Control, which was in place at the time,  helped to prevent the devastating effects that could have been the case if there was nothing in place to handle the outbreak from the index case.

 “The same infrastructure and preparedness came in handy when the coronavirus reached Nigeria and Lagos worked tirelessly to flatten the curve,” Prof. Abayomi  maintained,  as he regaled his audience with plans of projects for modern-day medical centres that take cognisance of advanced technology and climate change concerns while praising some private sector medical partners for setting the pace in Nigeria and beyond.

Also speaking at the event was Dr. Iyke Odikpo, who delivered a presentation on the healthcare component of the APC Presidential Campaign Council and National Action Plan for the Tinubu/Shettima ticket. Odikpo noted the similarities of the Lagos State Medical Strategy and the APC Campaign health component), saying he could easily deliver the same presentation as the State Health Commissioner, Abayomi,  without needing to make substantial editing. However, before asking Lagosians to allow Abuja carry the Lagos health component of the THEMES Agenda in its entirety, he read through a 15-point healthcare component of the “Renewed Hope” manifesto of the Tinubu/Shettima ticket,  titled  “The Fix-Nigerian-Healthcare Agenda.”

A former Commissioner for Health in the State, Dr Jide Idris, also delivered the keynote paper on healthcare financing ahead of the panel discussion . The eminent panelists, who were thereafter called to the podium, included the University of Lagos (UNILAG) Professor of Public Health and Chairman of the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, Prof Akin Osibogun, who chaired the panel discussion. Others were Public Health Consultant & International Health Expert, Dr. Oyewole Owolabi ;  CEO, Health Advantage Africa Powering, Pharmacist Abimbola Adebakin ; General Manager, Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA), Dr. Emmanuela Zamba ; CEO, AXA MANSARD, Health Management Organisation (HMO), Tope Adeniyi ;  National President, Healthcare Providers Association of Nigeria (HCPAN), Dr. Adeyeye Arigbabuwo and  Chairman, Board of Trustees, Lagos Civil Society Participation for Development (LACSOP), Barrister Ayodele Adebusoye Esq.

Dr. Idris, in his keynote address,  outlined the basis of the financing function, the analysis of available data – Health Accounts, the challenges of financing, the health component of the APC manifesto and proposed options with the consideration of sustainability. He noted the importance of proper financing for the medical field, which had the potential to add about 10 per cent to the GDP while transforming into the country’s largest employer because of its employment generation and wealth creation potential. He described a model of the extent of out-of-pocket expenses that individuals incur on medical costs in low income countries and how this is not as drastic for individuals in middle and high income countries because of the involvement of private insurance, social insurance, national health insurance scheme and government budget – all of which shrink the size of out-of-pocket expenses individuals pay.

 He recalled how, together with other medical professionals, they have put together an unbeatable health component in the Tinubu/Shettima ticket that will see Nigeria make advancements in health financing. He concluded with some recommendations calling for health care/financing reform, increased investment in health, the expansion of the tax base, ease of entry for private sector participation, the National Health Insurance Agency law, the institutionalisation of performance-based payments and leveraging technology, Osa said.