FG Urged to Embrace PPP, Invest in Technology to Strengthen Healthcare

Rebecca Ejifoma

With technology accelerating access to healthcare globally, healthcare experts in Nigeria have urged the federal government to invest in technology while leveraging public-private-partnership (PPP) to further strengthen the nation’s healthcare infrastructure.

This was part of the focus at the 2022 EY Annual Healthcare conference on the theme, “Accelerating Access to Quality Healthcare in Nigeria”.

The Senior Partner and Head of Markets, Ernst & Young (EY) West Africa, Mr Ashish Bakhshi told newsmen that the public-private-partnership will help to deliver more joint ventures, more hospitals and better healthcare delivery outcomes for Nigerians.

“Healthcare is very important to Nigeria. EY globally believes every country needs to have a good healthcare system and as a consulting firm we try to help both public and private organisations,” Bakshi added.

According to the senior partner developing her healthcare infrastructure can curb medical tourism in the country, afford Nigerians easy access to healthcare services and the value-chain of the healthcare ecosystem in the country.

In his keynote address, the MD and CEO of First Cardiologist, Adeyemi Johnson highlighted the need for political will to transform the nation’s health sector. “Investment in health technology is the sure way to bridge gaps between Nigeria’s health sector and the developed world.

“Nigeria can leverage technology for healthcare delivery as advocated by stakeholders in the sector that the country adopts a mobile phone-type initiative with the capacity to accommodate everybody,” he emphasised.

In the words of the seasoned interventional cardiologist technology now helps to do surgeries among other life-saving procedures. He added, “In most cases, you don’t have to be there to deliver care. Though expensive, it can get us there.”

The EY annual conference, which featured healthcare experts, distinguished practitioners and stakeholders, focused on trends, challenges, solutions, and opportunities in the nation’s healthcare sector.

“The conference aims to create awareness on the challenges facing the country, find ways to revert them and how the country can ensure sustainable financing for healthcare as well as achieving self-sufficiency in pharmaceutical products,” says Damilola Aloba the Partner, Strategy & Transactions/CIGA Leader, EY West Africa.

Having highlighted some challenges, Aloba hinted that while EY would ensure that some of the key actions like how health providers can access funding among others can be implemented, “We will also prevail on government to take the sector from its present challenges by adopting the practical initiatives to address brain drain, dearth of infrastructures among others”.