Health Experts Advocate More Training For Professionals

Say Paucity Of Fund Hamper Acquisition Of Hospital Facilities
Health experts including former Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Leke Pitan, have reiterated the need for proper training of healthcare workers and maintenance of healthcare facilities.

The experts said this would help improve healthcare delivery in Nigeria.

However, the professionals informed it is important financial institutions make money accessible for private sector healthcare operators in order to have quality healthcare facilities.

The experts spoke at the Healthcare Financing Conference organised by Healthcare Federation of Nigeria (HFN) titled, ‘Equipment Leasing as an Innovative Means Healthcare Financing in Nigeria,’ held at the Medic West Africa Exhibition in Eko Hotel and Suites Lagos.

Pitan said: “We realise that financing private healthcare is one of the critical things needed to unlock potentials of the private sector. In Nigeria, 60 per cent of healthcare service is provided by the private sector. A lot of hospitals require financing of equipment and as of now, financing cost is very high, it is double digit. It is short term financing, but private hospitals need long term financing.

President, Healthcare Federation of Nigeria (HFN), Pharm. (Mrs.) Clare Omotseye said the training would mitigate brain drain in healthcare services, especially private healthcare sector.

Omotseye said: “Our patients are central to our various vocations and the fulcrum of the challenges we face in health delivery, which include access to affordable quality healthcare, healthcare financing, poor enabling environment with inconsistent policies making implementation tough, poor incentives for both local and foreign investments in healthcare, patients drain and negative perception on the healthcare industry in Nigeria. There is the issue of trying to retain and attract vital specialists, among others.

“Amidst this, is the vast opportunity to improve on the quality of healthcare delivered by the private sector and reaching out to the public sector through public private partnerships (PPPs)”.

She said HFN focuses on business and technical training for healthcare professionals, standards and quality training, linkage for infrastructural and human resources development.