Prof. of Surgery at the University of Lagos and Director National Institute of Health Research Global Surgery Unit (NIHR GSU), Adesoji Ademuyiwa, has stressed the need for the government to increase funding to enhance safe and timely surgery.
Fielding questions from journalists at NIHR GSU conference on in-depth discussions, knowledge sharing, and collaborative efforts held in Lagos recently, he observed most of the funding is done outside Africa and “we believe our African countries, including Nigeria should take up the challenge of funding ground breaking research.”
With the theme: “Critical Challenges in Surgical Care and Healthcare Systems on a Global scale,” he added through this conference, “we have been able to provide data, which was not available before. For example, the World Health Organisation guidelines on surgical site infections first published in 2016 does not have any evidence as to the role of gloves and change of instruments, but our collaboration using over 13,000 patients recruited from seven countries have been able to show that change of gloves and instruments at closure of wounds will reduce wounds infection rate.”
He added: “We organise this conference every year and this year, Nigeria is hosting. We take time to look at research as it affects medium and low-income countries and surgical outcomes.”
Director Research and Development TETFund, Dr. Saliu Girei Bakar, noted members of the Global Surgery Unit is a serious body.
He stated: “Our collaboration is going to be very impactful. We are not just interested in research for research sake, but we are interested in research for impact. We want to make sure research is seen as an investment.”
Prof. of Surgery at the University of Birmingham, Dion Morton described Nigeria hub as a power house, adding that politicians must support the hub.
He added, “improving surgeries and making amends for any negative impact is crucial for ensuring patient safety and satisfaction. Medical professionals should undergo regular training and education to stay updated with the latest surgical techniques, equipment, and protocols. This would ensure that surgeries are performed using the best practices available.”
On his part, Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, said by conducting thorough assessments, surgeons can make informed decisions and proactively address any issues that may arise during the procedure.
Represented by Director of Hospital Services at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Jimoh Salaudeen, he added by providing patients the opportunity to share feedback on surgical experience assist in identifying areas for improvement.
He advised hospitals and surgical centres to establish transparent feedback mechanisms and use the information to prevent recurrence of negative impacts.
