Dr Chito Nwana, FCT Chairman of the Guild of Medical Directors (GMD), on Sunday urged the Federal Government to create opportunities for public-private partnership to boost the health sector.
Nwana who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja as part of the commemoration of the World Health Day said this would help
to reverse medical tourism.NAN reports that the theme of this year’s World Health Day is “Universal Health Coverage”.
“As we commemorate the World Health Day 2019, we must recognise the importance of achieving Universal Health Care.
“We must work towards building a health care system that is focused on providing access to quality health care for all.
“We must change from being bureaucratic and political to being solution-oriented,” Nwana said.
She said there was need to improve the education and welfare of health care professionals in the country to checkmate incidences of medical tourism.
Nwana also said out-of-pocket expenses of patients must be reduced by ensuring better insurance coverage, especially at the state level.
“Restructuring the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) is essential, to enable it perform its functions optimally in providing access to quality health care.
“Public and private health facilities must be consistently monitored to ensure that they are following standard patient safety protocols to reduce complications and mortality.
“Patient education programmes must be instituted to increase awareness of patients’ rights and responsibilities. This will allow for a better relationship between the community and the health sector,” she said.
Nwana said the GMD is an advocacy group of owners of private health facilities, adding that the World Health Day was a time to reflect on the challenges in the health sector.
She called for collaboration among other stakeholders to achieve the ultimate, which is providing quality and affordable health care.
NAN reports that April 7 is observed as World Health Day.
The day is an occasion to draw people’s attention towards the importance of global health.
WHO, at its first World Health Assembly in 1948 in Geneva, approved the observance of World Health Day on April 7 of every year.
(NAN)
