As PharmAccess, HCPAN train health workers on safety
By Gabriel Olawale
The Country Director of PharmAccess Foundation, Njide Ndili has expressed concern over the quality of healthcare infrastructure in Nigeria, saying that, “it is high time each state takes complete ownership of healthcare services”.
Speaking during a capacity building for healthcare providers under auspices of Healthcare Providers Association of Nigeria, HCPAN on infection prevention and control in epidemics, Njide said that, as a Foundation, they have worked in several states across the country and can confidently say that Nigeria healthcare system is not strong.
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“As organisation, our area of specialization is health system strengthening and we can confidently say that Nigeria’s healthcare system is not strong. It is important that each state takes ownership to build the infrastructure in terms of building and equipping and capacity of healthcare workers so that they can be able to provide the necessary care.
“Healthcare delivery must not depend on one person; the next person should be able to replicate what the previous person has done which is why the system has to work for itself. So we have a long way to go because the level of preparedness is not really there yet. But the process put in place for COVID-19 in terms of identification, tracking, and isolation is fantastic.”
Njide said that the capacity programme was to equip healthcare providers with the necessary information to remain protected, “they need to protect themselves for them to be able to protect the patients.
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On his part, National President, Healthcare Providers Association of Nigeria, Dr. Adeyeye Arigbabuwo identified the need for strong collaboration between the private and public sector, “we need to always collaborate because private sector provides about 70 percent of healthcare services. “What that means is that we should be able to raise alarm in cases of public health, we shouldn’t look at the monitory compensation or what the patient can afford to pay or not to pay.
The key is public health and as much as possible by our oath of professionalism, the health of the patient is key to us.
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