Experts at a two-day workshop in Lagos have called for comprehensive education of health workers to understand needs of each patient beyond the pathology.

An innovative interactive data system has been launched to track information about health care, water and education facilities as a tool to guide funding for local projects towards attaining the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs. Known as the Nigeria MDGs Information System, it is designed to support the Conditional Grants Scheme programme which is a $1.2 billion effort that offers funding, training and guidance for the Local Government Areas related projects to reduce poverty and improve access to health, education and water services for more than 65 million people.

The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria, MDCAN has described the pressure being mounted on government by the Joint Health Sector Unions, JOHESU, over the appointment of its members as consultants as uncalled for.

As GSK launches the first call for proposals for its Africa NCD Open Lab, to support much-needed scientific research into non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Africa, no fewer than eight countries in the region including Nigeria are expected to benefit from £4m funding.

Over the years, the need to alwaysdip into your pocket or reach for your chequebook or passbook at the point of access to healthcare, has effectively denied access to even the most basic healthcare services especially for the masses, thus restricting any potential for economic productivity and diminishing the impact of social welfare.