…as newly elected HFN president, Ajayi calls for improved health information system

By Gabriel Ewepu, Abuja

THE Healthcare Federation of Nigeria, HFN, weekend, re-elected Njide Ndili, vice president along with Dr Pamela Ajayi as president of HFN respectively for two years to run the affairs of the federation.

It will be recalled that the duo were re-elected unopposed as the new President and Vice-President.

Meanwhile, Other elected officials were Mrs. Chinyere Okorocha- Partner at Jackson, Etti & Edu as Treasurer, Dr. Segun Ebitanmi- COO, Outreach Hospital as Secretary and Pharm. Abimbola O. Adebakin- Founder and CEO, Advantage Health as Public Relations Secretary.

The Annual Conference and General Meeting themed ‘Building the Healthcare of our future’, which had in attendance the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, the Chairman of the Senate’s Health Committee, Sen. Ibrahim Oloriegbe, the Governor of Sokoto State and the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Rt Hon Aminu Tambuwal, and other notable government dignitaries and high-profile stakeholders in the health sector including investors, donors, financial institutions, regulators, healthcare personnel, and Health Maintenance Organizations, HMOs.

The conference featured a wide array of presentations and panel discussions on possible solutions to the highlighted challenges as well as showcased some of the solutions that are already working in the country’s healthcare system that could be replicated for a better healthcare for all. Also introduced at the conference was the first HFN Women’s Forum.

The forum was launched by Dr. (Mrs.) Tomi Coker, the honorable commissioner of health in Ogun State, alongside Mrs. Bola Adesola, Member of HFN Board of Trustees and Chairman of the Board of Ecobank.

PharmAccess Foundation has provided financial support and technical assistance to the federation since its inception, including business training, conferences and advocacy visits to stakeholders, and has pledged to continue its support for the inclusion of the private sector in the delivery of healthcare.

In his special address at the opening ceremony of the Minister of Health and Chief Host, Dr Osagie Ehanire, while declaring open the conference acknowledged the efforts undertaken put in so far by HFN.

Ehanire also commended HFN and other private sector players in the health sector for their support, synergy, which their partnership had made great impact as they have developed with the public sector.

Meanwhile, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Dr Ibrahim Oloriegbe, spoke on the situation of health care delivery service delivery in the country from the National Assembly point.

However, earlier in an address of welcome, the newly re-elected President, of HFN, Dr Pamela Ajayi, pointed out the urgent need to reposition the healthcare ecosystem in Nigeria including improved health information system

“We need improvements to the health information system, regular and sustainable population and health-facility-based surveys, and a functioning vital statistics and civil registration system.

“We also need to strengthen the use of evidence-linked planning for resource allocation and utilization”, Ajayi said.

In a vote of thanks, the newly re-elected Vice President, HFN, Njide Ndili, urged everyone to utilize the wide array of insightful segments that the conference will focus on.

“The conference comes amid several challenges facing the healthcare ecosystem in Nigeria, including funding for healthcare, monetary policy tightening and volatility, gaps in fiscal policy and poor implementation, and dwindling human resources throughout the value chain and ecosystem.

“This vote of thanks is not a suggestion to leave; rather, it is an invitation to participate in and gain knowledge from the important discussions that will be taking place at the conference”, Ndili added.