NEWS
NESG Hosts Pre-Summit Webinar on Strengthening Healthcare Regulatory Bodies
By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) has hosted a pivotal pre-summit webinar in preparation for the 30th Nigerian Economic Summit (#NES30).
The webinar, themed “Strengthening Healthcare Regulatory Bodies in Nigeria,” gathered experts and stakeholders to discuss the challenges within Nigeria’s healthcare regulatory framework and to develop actionable recommendations for enhancing regulatory capacity to ensure effective healthcare regulation across the country.
In his Remarks, Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Ekiti State, Dr. Oyebanji Filani, and Steering Committee member of NESG’s Health Policy Commission (HPC), Dr.
Filani emphasized the crucial role of a strong healthcare system in national development.He highlighted the significant impact that well-resourced regulatory bodies can have on public safety, investor confidence, and overall healthcare quality in Nigeria. He noted that addressing current challenges urgently is essential to fostering an environment conducive to healthcare development, which in turn supports socioeconomic advancement.
In a keynote address, National Coordinator of the Unlocking Healthcare Value-Chain Initiative, Dr. Abdu Mukhtar, noted that healthcare currently contributes 3-4% of Nigeria’s GDP, a stark contrast to 17% in the United States and 15-20% in Europe.
He underscored the necessity of a robust healthcare system for national stability and competitiveness.
Mukhtar also outlined the government’s ongoing healthcare reform plan, anchored on four pillars: effective governance, improved population health outcomes, unlocking the healthcare value chain, and enhancing health security, particularly in pandemic preparedness.
The plan, covering 2022-2026, includes cross-cutting themes such as regulation, financing, and digitalization. He further discussed the Presidential Initiative to unlock the healthcare value chain, launched in October 2023.
This initiative involves 20 key regulatory agencies and five ministries and aims to increase local pharmaceutical production, reduce medical tourism, and attract investment.
Significant achievements include a presidential executive order removing duties on machinery and materials for medical product manufacturing and the signing of several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) to support research and development platforms for vaccine production and to strengthen regulatory bodies.
The webinar highlighted the challenges facing Nigeria’s healthcare regulatory bodies, such as limited budgets, insufficient staffing, and outdated laws. These issues hinder thorough inspections, compliance enforcement, and the overall effectiveness of regulatory oversight, posing risks to patient safety.
The National Health Policy (2016) also pointed out the absence of an institutional framework to regulate quality and standards, and the lack of robust enforcement mechanisms that allows unqualified individuals to practice medicine illegally.
The webinar also featured insightful contributions from several key speakers, including, Dr. Victor K. Gbenro, Deputy Registrar, Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN; Dr. Gbenro discussed the MDCN’s role in regulating medical education and upholding standards in medical training and practice across Nigeria.
Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), emphasized the importance of local pharmaceutical manufacturing. She stated that manufacturing 70% of pharmaceuticals locally and importing 30% would allow for better monitoring and adherence to good manufacturing practices.
She assured that NAFDAC will continue to conduct routine and targeted inspections to ensure these standards are met.
Director, Lagos Zone, National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Modupeola Ogundimu, spoke on the challenges facing health insurance in Nigeria and opportunities for improving the regulatory environment to promote Universal Health Coverage (UHC). She also discussed the impact of recent economic hardships on health insurance and the steps needed to strengthen the NHIA’s regulatory mandate.
Healthcare Quality Specialist, IFC Dr. Ajibike Oyewumi, emphasized the importance of enhancing regulatory capacity through training, technology adoption, and establishing strong public-private partnerships. She also noted the critical role of national health insurance in providing funding to ensure access to quality healthcare.
Executive Secretary, Health Facilities Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA) Dr. Abiola Idowu, highlighted HEFAMAA’s mission to enforce healthcare facility standards and accreditation in Nigeria. She emphasized the need for increased investment in technology, training, and collaboration with stakeholders to improve transparency and public engagement in healthcare regulation.
Ameer El Telwany, CEO, Egypt Healthcare Authority (represented by Nermeen Ashour) shared insights on the reforms and system changes implemented by the Egypt Healthcare Authority to ensure the delivery of quality health services across all levels of care.
He discussed collaborative efforts with stakeholders, innovative healthcare policies, and strategic investments that have contributed to achieving sustainable healthcare excellence in Egypt.
The webinar underscored the importance of strengthening healthcare regulatory bodies to ensure a transparent and well-regulated healthcare sector in Nigeria. Improved regulatory frameworks are essential for attracting domestic and foreign investment, enhancing the global competitiveness of African healthcare industries, and fostering regional integration and trade in healthcare products and services.
The NESG remains committed to driving actionable outcomes from this webinar to support the development of Nigeria’s healthcare
Executive Secretary, Health Facilities Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA), Dr. Abiola Idowu, highlighted HEFAMAA’s mission to enforce healthcare facility standards and accreditation in Nigeria. She emphasized the need for increased investment in technology, training, and collaboration with stakeholders to improve transparency and public engagement in healthcare regulation.
Dr. Ameer Telwany, CEO, Egypt Healthcare Authority (represented by Nermeen Ashour) shared insights on the reforms and system changes implemented by the Egypt Healthcare Authority to ensure the delivery of quality health services across all levels of care.
He discussed collaborative efforts with stakeholders, innovative healthcare policies, and strategic investments that have contributed to achieving sustainable healthcare excellence in Egypt.
The webinar underscored the importance of strengthening healthcare regulatory bodies to ensure a transparent and well-regulated healthcare sector in Nigeria. Improved regulatory frameworks are essential for attracting domestic and foreign investment, enhancing the global competitiveness of African healthcare industries, and fostering regional integration and trade in healthcare products and services.
The NESG remains committed to driving actionable outcomes from this webinar to support the development of Nigeria’s healthcare.
The Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) has clinched 15 Chairmanship seats in Saturday’s Local Government Elections in Abia, while the Young Progressives Party (YPP) won two seats.The Chairman of the Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC), Prof George Chima, announced the result of the chairmanship poll at thecommission’s headquarters in Umuahia.
Chima said: “We have carried out the duty we were inaugurated on September 5 to undertake. “It was not an easy task, but we went out on our way to create awareness about the elections across the state. “It must be noted that, in recent times, this commission has not conducted an election where over 12 political parties took part, this on its own is a plus to the commission.”The ABSIEC boss said that the chairmanship and councillorship polls took place in the 17 Local Government Areas (LGAs).He described the exercise as “free fair and credible”.He said that the elections were a demonstration of the commission’s dedication, focus and efficiency.Chima expressed joy that the commission successfully completed, in just two months, a task that typically required six to 12 months of effort.“I congratulate the winners and the losers too, because in any election there must be winners and losers.“The most important thing is that Abia has been peaceful and I want the peace to continue.“I appreciate the security agencies for their support, political parties for playing the game according to the rule,” Chima said.Report says that ZLP won in Isiala Ngwa South, Isiala Ngwa North, Umuahia North, Umuahia South, Ukwa East, Ukwa West, Obingwa, Aba North, Aba South, Isuikwuato, Umunneochi, Arochukwu, Bende, and Ohafia LGAs.The remaining two LGAs of Osisioma and Ugwunagbo were won by YPP. (NAN)
Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris appeared on the “Saturday Night Live” TV comedy show on Saturday, adding a surprise jolt to the U.S presidential election ust three days before her with showdown with Republican Donald Trump.“Keep Calm-ala and carry on-ala,” Harris said in unison with the actor who plays her on the show, Maya Rudolph.
It was Harris’ first time on the show, which has had other presidential candidates over its decades-long run. Trump appeared during his first presidential bid in 2015, where he poked fun at his tendency to exaggerate and steer clear of policy specifics.He also appeared in 2004, long before he entered politics.A Trump aide said he didn’t know if he had been invited to appear this year.Earlier on Saturday, Harris and Trump’s planes shared the tarmac in Charlotte, North Carolina, as the two candidates held dueling events in the southern state, one of a handful that will determine the outcome of Tuesday’s election.It was the fourth day in a row that the candidates campaigned in the same state.Only seven states are seen as truly competitive, but poll released on Saturday showed Harris holding a surprise lead in Iowa, a state Trump won easily in the last two elections.Trump and Harris stuck to familiar themes at their appearances.Trump said he would deport millions of immigrants if elected and warned that if Harris wins, “Every town in America would be turned into a squalid, dangerous refugee camp.”Campaigning in Atlanta, Harris said Trump would abuse his power if he returned to the White House.“This is someone who is increasingly unstable, obsessed with revenge, consumed with grievance, and the man is out for unchecked power,” she said.More than 75 million Americans have already cast ballots, according to the Election Lab at the University of Florida, in a sign of voter enthusiasm.In North Carolina, the western counties that were devastated by Hurricane Helene appeared to be voting at roughly the same rate as the rest of the state, according to Catawba College political science professor Michael Bitzer.At a later rally in Salem, Virginia, Trump said he ran for office to rescue the economy from “obliteration” even though it would have been easier to relax at one of his oceanfront resorts.“I didn’t need to be here today,” he said. “I could have been standing on that beach, my beautiful white skin getting nice and being smacked, being smacked in the face by a wave loaded up with salt water.”Trump was joined on stage by women from a local college swim team who have objected to competing against transgender athletes.Some of Trump’s TV ads have sought to capitalise on transgender controversies.Meanwhile, Kamala Harris has surpassed Donald Trump in a new poll in Iowa, according to the Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll released on Saturday.Women voters are likely responsible for the turnaround in a state that Trump easily won in 2016 and 2020.The poll of 808 likely voters, who were surveyed Oct. 28-31, has Harris leading Trump 47%-44% in Iowa, which has been trending deeply Republican in recent years.It is within the 3.4 percentage point margin of error, but it marked a turnaround from a September Iowa Poll that had Trump with a 4-point lead, the newspaper reported.“The poll shows that women — particularly those who are older or who are politically independent — are driving the late shift toward Harris,” the Register said.Trump senior adviser Jason Miller said the Iowa poll was “idiotic” and an outlier that has no credibility. (Reuters/NAN)The Katsina State chapter of the National Association of Scrap and Waste Dealers, Employers of Nigeria, has inaugurated a 200-member task force committee to tackle vandals hiding under their umbrella.
Report says that during the inauguration in Katsina on Saturday, the association also launched its newly elected executive members in the state.
Alhaji Aminu Hassan-Soja, the North Regional President of the association, said the aim of the committee was to curtail vandalism in the state.
Hassan-Soja said: “There is no doubt, vandalism has now become a serious threat to the nation, and Katsina in particular, and accusing fingers are pointing at our members.
“To show the world that we are not vandals, criminals or thieves, but we are doing our legal businesses, that’s why we inaugurated this task force committee.
“The aim is to complement the efforts of government in tackling the activities of vandals in the nation, this is the focus of the committee.
“Our business is about buying and selling metals. I can confidently say that this business is contributing so much to the country’s economy, apart from reducing unemployment.”
He also revealed that scrap and waste dealers also clean the environment, and control the country’s economy through the supply of raw materials to over 70 per cent of Nigerian companies.
“Some of the companies we supply with the raw materials include steel, plastic, and also roofing sheets, where we supply them with scrap metals. We support the country’s economy through sustaining the recycling industry.
“Because without our activities, no investor will come to Nigeria because they can not see raw materials to process and make finished products.
“Also, most of our companies will wind-up because there’s no raw materials for them to process. This is where we contribute to the development of the country’s economy,” he said.
The regional president further explained that across the country, they have over 5 million members engaging and benefitting from the business, while Katsina accounted for over 200,000 members.
Also speaking, a member of Katsina State House of Assembly, representing Funtua constituency, Alhaji Abubakar Total said the assembly was not planning to ban the scrap activities, but trying to sanitise the business.
According to Total, there are some bad elements hiding under the association to vandalise and steal public and other people’s property in the state.
He explained that the assembly only urged the government to find a way of regulating their activities by engaging the leadership of the association and other relevant stakeholders. (NAN)
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