By Gabriel Ewepu

ABUJA – IN a bid to boost healthcare services in Nigeria, PharmAccess Foundation and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare through the National Tertiary Health Institutions Standards Committee, NTHISC, has signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, on SafeCare quality improvement programmes across federal tertiary hospitals.

Basically, the partnership is to elevate healthcare delivery standards, strengthen health worker capacity, and transform tertiary hospitals into centres of excellence, ultimately improving patient outcomes nationwide.

The signing ceremony had in attendance senior government officials and regulatory leaders, underscoring the sector-wide commitment to quality healthcare, including the Honourable Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Kunle Salako, represented by the Director, Department of Health Planning, Research and Statistics, Dr. Kamil Shoretire; Director of Hospital Services at the Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Jimoh Olawale Salaudeen; Registrar, Nigerian Medical and Dental Council, MDCN, Prof. Fatima Kyari; Registrar, Medical Rehabilitation Therapists Registration Board of Nigeria; Prof. Rufai Yusuf Ahmad; Country Director, PharmAccess Nigeria, Mrs Njide Ndili.

Othere were the Programme Director, SafeCare, Dr Ibironke Dada; Chairman of the Committee of Chief Medical Directors, CMDs, Federal Tertiary Hospitals, Prof. Emem Bassey; Programme Manager, SafeCare, Peggy Imoniovu, and amongst others.

In his address of welcome, Chairman, NTHISC, Prof Philip Abiodun, commended the partnership and described it as a pivotal step toward embedding quality as a standard across Nigeria’s tertiary health system.

Abiodun also maintained that NTHISC’s mandate will ensure enforcement minimum standards for all tertiary healthcare facilities, inspect and accredit them for compliance, and advise the government on service delivery, financing, workforce training, and research priorities.

He also acknowledged that the partnership with PharmAccess represents a major leap forward and a paradigm shift.

Under the new MoU, PharmAccess and NTHISC will conduct baseline assessments, provide technical support, train hospital quality teams, and monitor progress through a fully digitized platform, allowing real-time visibility of hospital performance.

This initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s Nigerian Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII), which seeks to save lives, reduce financial hardship, improve patient experience, and deliver equitable health outcomes nationwide.

PharmAccess Foundation is an international NGO dedicated to strengthening health systems through innovative approaches to quality improvement, financing, and access.

SafeCare, its flagship quality program, provides a stepwise pathway for healthcare facilities to improve care delivery using internationally accredited standards, digital tools, and tailored improvement plans.

He said: “The quality improvement framework we are putting in place will enable tertiary hospitals to undergo structured assessment, performance-based ranking, and capacity building.

“The data generated will guide resource allocation, training priorities, and investments to improve service delivery.

“This MoU marks the beginning of a new phase in our journey toward significantly improved tertiary healthcare services that Nigerians can be proud of.”

Meanwhile, in a keynote, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Kunle Salako, who was represented by the Director, Department of Health Planning, Research and Statistics, Dr Kamil Shoretire, stressed and said it is imperative to have quality healthcare system as “the backbone of a thriving nation” and a key driver of national productivity.

According to Salako, the Federal Government’s focus on tertiary hospitals goes beyond infrastructure development to ensuring that services meet the highest standards of safety, efficiency, and patient-centred care.

“Our federal tertiary hospitals must transform into vibrant hubs of healing and hope.

“This partnership will ensure that patients not only receive excellent medical care but are treated with dignity and compassion.

“Together, we are building trust between patients and providers and securing a healthier future for generations to come.”

Meanwhile, the Country Director, PharmAccess, Njide Ndili, in her remarks described the MoU as a milestone in strengthening Nigeria’s health system.

“Our SafeCare standards have been tried and tested in over 24 countries and implemented in more than 9,000 healthcare facilities globally.

“In Nigeria, they have already been piloted in three federal tertiary hospitals with promising results. This collaboration will allow us to scale this impact nationwide, institutionalizing quality as a standard practice”, she added.

Also speaking, the Programme Director, SafeCare, Dr Ibironke Dada, in her remarks highlighted the programme’s achievements while saying facilities supported by SafeCare have already recorded measurable improvements in quality levels.

“We have seen hospitals like FMC Ebute Metta move from lower SafeCare levels to higher ones, showing that systemic quality improvement is possible with strong leadership and commitment.

“Our phased 24-month approach will help tertiary hospitals build robust quality teams, digitize their processes, and achieve continuous improvement”, she added.