The highly awaited Medic West Africa show commenced with a fervent inaugural ceremony on April 17. Dr. Salma Ibrahim Anas, Special Advisor — Health to President of Nigeria Bola Tinubu, inaugurated Day 1 of the show and set the stage for what promised to be a transformative event in the region.
The Healthcare Leadership Conference 2024, themed "Optimising Emergency Care Delivery: Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain", unfolded with Dr. Pamela Ajayi, President of the Healthcare Federation of Nigeria (HFN), delivering the welcome address. Against the backdrop of recent emergency health incidents, Dr. Ajayi underscored the timeliness of the conference's focus, emphasising the pressing need to enhance emergency care services.
Distinguished speakers and industry leaders graced the occasion with their insights and perspectives. Dr. Anas, alongside other luminaries including Prof. Akin Abayomi, Commissioner of Health, Lagos State, Dr. Boguifo Joseph, President of West Africa Federation of Alliances of the Private Sector of Health (FOASPS), Pharm Ahmed Yakasai, Founder and CEO of Pharmaplus Nigeria Ltd and former President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, shared their goodwill messages, highlighting the imperative of advancing emergency care practices in the region.
In her keynote address, Dr. Anas shared that the presidential plan is set towards the transfer of skills and technologies to achieve the production of vaccines, medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, and other medical supplies while employing a multisectoral approach.
She illuminated strategic visions of the federal government of Nigeria for the advancement of healthcare. Dr. Abdu Muktar, who is the National Coordinator of the Presidential Unlocking Healthcare-Value Chain (PVAC) initiative, elucidated the government's strategic initiatives, which are aimed at fostering collaboration, innovation, and investment in essential medical products and technologies.
Further elaborating on the programme, he emphasised its aim to spearhead a coordinated healthcare industry, advocating for pro-manufacturing policies, fostering collaborative R&D partnerships, and creating financing mechanisms with financial institutions. He revealed ongoing collaborations aimed at producing essential medical supplies like bed nets, syringes, and needles, stressing the importance of addressing critical healthcare needs.
“Nigeria consumes bed nets worth US$600 million annually. We need to produce these and make oxygen available to our primary health centres who are often first responders in cases of emergency,” Dr. Muktar added.
During the second presentation, Taiye Emagha, General Manager and Divisional Head of Large Enterprises III at the Bank of Industry (BOI), shed light on accessing funding for healthcare ventures. He outlined steps to establish fundable businesses, highlighting BOI's readiness to invest in key market segments including diagnostics, surgery, radiology, ambulance services, drug manufacturing, equipment, supplies, and oncology research.
Subsequent presentations explored crucial topics such as accessing funding for healthcare ventures, equitable resource allocation in crises, and the imperative of bolstering emergency care training and infrastructure. Panel discussions, featuring esteemed professionals and moderated by industry experts, fostered robust exchanges and actionable insights.
Interactive sessions, including visits to exhibition booths and presentations by emergency response organisations, enriched participants' understanding of emerging trends and best practices. Dr. Jide Idris' discourse on Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Management provided valuable lessons and future directions for stakeholders.
The event culminated in a dynamic panel discussion on Emergency Response & Intensive Care, wherein experts deliberated on critical issues ranging from first aid training to psychiatric care in emergencies. Throughout the conference, a resounding call to action echoed: to fortify policies, invest in training, and collaborate across sectors to enhance emergency care outcomes and ensure the resilience of the healthcare system.
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