Posted on: Thu 03-11-2022

In order to reduce the high rate of maternal and child deaths amid the decline of infrastructures in primary health centres (PHCs) nationwide, the Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria (PSHAN) has said it is designing one world-class PHC facility for each of the 774 local government areas in Nigeria.

It said this would address challenges in the health sector as well as help improve the general outcome of the healthcare.

Speaking at a press conference in Lagos, the chief executive officer, PSHAN, Dr. Tinuola Akinbolagbe, said, PSHAN seeks to address challenges and improve healthcare for all Nigerians by providing affordable and quality healthcare using Adopt-A-Private Health Facility Project (ADHFP) as a key initiative, launching November 10, 2022,

“PSHAN creates a compelling opportunity to pool private sector capabilities, resources, assets and expertise across a collaborative platform to complement the efforts of government, partners and implementers to accelerate improvement in health outcomes in Nigeria.

“PSHAN’s vision and mission are geared towards mobolising private sector capabilities, assets, and resources to improve health outcomes in Nigeria. ADHFP was conceptualized by Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede and PSHAN with the primary goal of establishing at least one global standard primary healthcare centre in each of the 774 local government areas in Nigeria.

“ADHFP was also established on our belief that the African continent will continue to bear the painful burden of high disease mortality long after the rest of the world has overcome these challenges, unless we address the poor state of health systems at the primary level.”

According to her, studies shows that one of the factors responsible for the dismal health indices is poor PHC strategy and the diligent implementation of a PHC strategy that seeks to address the healthcare and wellness needs of some societies has seen many countries, including Vietnam, Bangladesh, Botswana and Ghana, rapidly overtake Nigeria in healthcare.

“Many ways after the leadership of Professor Olikoye Ransome-Kuti, the need to strengthen the PHC in Nigeria is relevant as ever before. The current state of PHC system in Nigeria is appalling, with only about 20 per cent of the 30,000 PHC facilities across Nigeria working.

“A bold new approach to primary health care through projects like ADHFP is central to achieving the SDGs and universal health coverage for all Nigerians.”

She regretted that the current state of PHCs in Nigeria was appalling with only 20 per cent of the 30,000 PHC facilities operational nationwide.  

“We hope to accomplish this by working with at least 110 potential adopters – corporate organisations, private foundations, international donor agency trusts, and individual philanthropists in the first five years.

“The program is expected to directly benefit of the people of Nigeria through improved access to healthcare, reduction in infant, under-five and maternal mortality, reduce the burden of diseases of public health interest such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, TB etc.”

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