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Tag: Healthcare

  • Healthcare firm denies wrongdoing claim

    Healthcare firm denies wrongdoing claim

    Frontiers Healthcare Services (FHS), a multinational, has debunked allegations of wrongdoing in its operation of COVID-19 testing project at Kotoka International Airport, Ghana.

    The firm’s management, in a statement yesterday, said the allegations made on social media, were “false, baseless, and a fabrication.”

    It disowned claim FHS short-changed Ghanaian government.

    “The contractual relationship between FHS and Ghana was regulated by a duly executed contract robustly negotiated by world class professionals on either side,” the company said.

    The firm noted further at the end of the contract, “FHS donated one of its laboratories to Ghana Health Service in satisfaction of its corporate social responsibility. 

    “The government of Ghana was not short-changed by FHS. Rather, the government and people of Ghana derived enormous benefits from FHS. 

    “It is malicious and wicked for anyone to fabricate figures and issue falsehood and non-existent figures as profits.”

    The firm said the most “ridiculous” allegation was the claim FHS enjoys unfair support from Ghanaian government.

    It emphasised it had “no connection with officials of government. FHS refutes and rejects suggestion or insinuation it has connection, affiliation or relationship with any member of the government of Ghana. 

    Read Also: Obaseki: Nigeria will be in deeper trouble if we don’t cut waste

    “FHS denies and refutes allegation of government patronage. There is no truth in such suggestion.”

    The firm regretted what ought to be hailed as one of the country’s greatest achievements during COVID-19, “has been wrought with negative media onslaught owing to the politically polarised nature of our nation.”

    The firm said reopening of the air borders of Ghana during COVID-19 was made possible by introduction of innovative health solution systems designed by FHS, adding the firm’s efforts made Ghana “to be recognised as the first country in the world to deploy and commence testing on international arriving passengers for COVID-19 virus.”

    As for the $150 cost of the COVID-19 test at the time, the firm argued it was the cheapest in the world. 

    “It was, indeed, 100% more efficient and cost-effective more than its closest competitors.”

    The firm criticised the maker of the allegations, saying, “This fellow by whatever name he is called has done a huge disservice to those who benefitted from the project; those whose lives were saved by the preventive action of comprehensive the testing mechanism and processes, and for the nation of Ghana as a whole.”

  • Tinubu approves initiatives for improved healthcare delivery

    Tinubu approves initiatives for improved healthcare delivery

    President Bola Tinubu has approved three initiatives targeted at improving healthcare delivery as well as directing funding for the sector towards delivering the best impacts in public health across the tiers of government.

    The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate, who disclosed this on Wednesday while addressing journalists at the State House, Abuja, also said President Tinubu has instructed the Health Ministry to talk less and do more to deliver its targets.

    Pate, who delivered his briefing with Vice President for Global Programmes at the Susan-Buffett Foundation, Prof. Seniat Fisseha, said Tinubu also directed his ministry to engage with development partners to birth new reforms that will improve the health and well being of Nigerians.

    He further said the President also tasked them to pursue a very ambitious sector-wide programme that would improve population health outcomes, using the basic healthcare provision fund as a basis for reviving the primary health care system.

    “While having an audience with the President, we discussed some important issues regarding the health and social well being of Nigerians. As we all know, the President is very committed and has directed that we do all that we can to improve the health and well being of all Nigerians as part of his renewed hope agenda. ⁣

    Read Also: NACA partners journalists, social media influencers on HIV/AIDS stigma

    ⁣”Accordingly, in recent days he has approved three important steps for us to move forward with that and has asked us to talk less and do more. And in that spirit he in fact, has asked us to pursue a very ambitious sector-wide programme to improve population health outcomes, using the basic healthcare provision fund as a basis for reviving our primary health care system, working with state governments and community leaders, traditional leaders to ensure that Nigerians get better quality services to deal with the issues that bother them, whether it’s malaria, whether it’s immunisation, maternal and child health, reproductive health, those are elements that have a direct bearing on the health and well being of Nigerians with the State governments and with our development partners. ⁣

    ⁣”So that sector-wide program is underway and our visitor today is committed to working with us in that, to work with countries system’s not set up parallel systems. And we’re very glad that the Susan-Buffett foundation is willing to partner with the Government of Nigeria to advance the health and well being of all, especially our adolescent girls and women. ⁣

    “The second item is to unlock the value chain in the healthcare space. Mr President has also approved an initiative presidential initiative to unlock the healthcare value chain, that will help drive the medical industrialisation agenda with clear targets.

    “It will require public sector-private sector working hand in hand. Government do what it needs to do to provide the enabling environment and the private sector getting his act together to ensure that we produce the things that are critical for the health and well being of Nigeria while creating economic value and creating jobs,” he said. ⁣

    Professor Fisseha of Susan-Buffett Foundation, said the foundation, which is known for its focus on women, girls, and primary health care, aligns perfectly with the government’s goals.

    She lauded President Tinubu’s action-driven approach, saying “I do like the President’s direction on talking less and doing more and getting to action.

    “So we are extremely excited. I don’t want to duplicate what has been said. Our hope is that we will be a committed partner to supporting the federal as well as state governments and communities to deliver health for all, so thank you very much for the opportunity today”, she said.

  • States to get more funding for healthcare, says Pate

    States to get more funding for healthcare, says Pate

    The Federal government will provide more funds to states to achieve zero-child mortality and address other emerging health sector challenges, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, has said.

    Pate, however, said such efforts might become a mirage without the input and active collaboration of the state and other critical sector stakeholders.

    A statement yesterday by the Ministry’s Director of Press, Deworitshe Patricia, made the commitment at a meeting with state Commissioners of Health in his office.

    The statement reads: “We have laid down our four pillars which we will discuss at the coming National Council on Heath. The governing pillar of health is what we are trying to do, reviving the National Council on Health, working with the public and private sector, development partners, using good data and advancing the cost of health, which is what it will take to change the direction.

    Read Also: NDDC vows to support Niger Delta youths

    “We are focused on results therefore we will work collectively; the outcome is what matters to Nigerians. The ministry will train and retrain health workers on the frontline across the states; we will mobilise additional resources for the state as this will enable us make quick wins in healthcare programmes.”

    Dr. Oyebanji Filani, who spoke on behalf of the Nigerian Health Commissioners Forum, said they are mindful of their roles in the state and so working with other stakeholders to improve the healthcare system, as well as lives in Nigeria.

    Filani also promised the Forum’s support and commitment to the ministry to make a difference and deliver on set goals.

  • FG partners with MSH to improve quality of healthcare 

    FG partners with MSH to improve quality of healthcare 

    The federal government is looking for ways to partner with Management Sciences for Health (MSH), a global health advisory organization, to strengthen the quality of healthcare and disease response within the Nigerian health system. 

    Possible areas of collaboration being looked at include strengthening the Basic Health Care Provision Fund to effectively implement Universal Health Coverage for Nigerians, e-training of health workers, and designing effective ways of managing medical waste.

    The coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed this during a meeting with the MSH President and CEO, Mariam Wentworth. Also in the meeting are the departmental directors of the ministry and the Country Representative of MSH, Ezechukwu Chidozie. 

    Pate said there is a need to partner with MSH, which he said is an expert in global health to support the training of Nigerian health workers on proper ways to manage medical wastes at the tertiary, secondary, and primary health care levels, so as to reduce dangers associated with improper disposal of medical wastes.

    The minister said: “Other areas of collaboration is maintenance of equipment in our hospitals. Every year the Federal Government buys a lot of equipment, but then they break down and our hospitals don’t have ways to maintain them.

    “We have a lot of equipment across our hospitals that have broken down. Some of them have just minor problems, like a faulty fuse, and the vendors that supply this equipment tie us down. They maintain them at a high cost. So, we can collaborate with MSH to set up a bio-medical engineering program for us.”

    Read Also: Wike promises improved quality healthcare services in FCT

    Pate said MSH’s expertise would also be vital in developing a training guideline for the ministry on e-training of its workforce.

    He said: “We want practical things that can work. We have been training and retraining our staff, but I want you to present something that is practicable. Something that can enable us to move from where we are, not something that we have been doing 20 years ago. We want to move away from complicated things to practical things.” 

    The minister said the training would be targeted at health workers at the community level.

    Earlier in her remarks, the MSH president and CEO said the organization is working in 150 countries and has been present in Nigeria for the past 20 decades delivering health programs across the country, covering health systems improvement, HIV, malaria, and other non-communicable diseases.

    The MSH Country Representative, Chidozie, said potential areas of partnership with the Nigerian government include health financing, supply chain and health security, leadership and management, and health workforce.

    He said MSH has achieved tremendous feats around supply chain and logistics, using local health workers to deliver healthcare commodities to consumers, adding that this is one area the government can tap from the expertise of MSH.

    He said although the delivery of quality health services in the country is being threatened by the migration of skilled health workers, MSH will continue to train health workers on data collation and other aspects to improve the quality of the health system.

  • Save life, don’t wait for police report, stakeholders charge healthcare practitioners

    Save life, don’t wait for police report, stakeholders charge healthcare practitioners

    Stakeholders in the health sector have agreed that a premium must be placed on saving lives during emergencies rather than requesting police reports by medical practitioners before administering treatment.

    In their separate remarks the stakeholders said, that although medical practitioners must be security conscious in their practice, they must ensure that the needful is done to give at least first aid treatment that may prevent death when emergency cases are brought into their facilities.

    The stakeholders including medical practitioners, healthcare workers, health providers, policymakers, and nurses among others spoke during the Consumer Empowerment Townhall Meeting on the Patients Bill of Rights (PBoR).

    The event, organised by the non-governmental organization, Ace in collaboration with the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) in Ibadan on Friday.

    Speaking at the event, Oyo State Commissioner for Health, Dr Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, urged medical practitioners and healthcare givers across the state to be mindful of their actions and inactions when attending to emergencies.

    She said even when such a facility does not have the capacity to administer treatment, especially in matters that may require a police report, the victims must not be thrown out like their lives meant nothing.

    Read Also: Patient safety: A call for enhanced healthcare standards

    Dr Ajetunmobi said “Today we are discussing Patients Bill of Rights (PBoR). It is a set of guidelines put in place to ensure that the rights and responsibilities of patients are been taken care of. For example, patients have the right to access information about their healthcare, medical condition, treatment outcome, and potential risks and benefits that they will enjoy during the period of their medical care.

    “Also, patients have access to emergency care and by so doing it doesn’t mean when patients are coming to the hospital, we should not attend to them, we should first and foremost show empathy and be compassionate about it.

    “For example a patient that is bleeding, if care is not taken, that particular patient can lose his or her life. We can as well stabilise the patient while we pursue the legal aspect which is why the patient is bleeding maybe as a result of a gunshot injury or any other thing that might have led to the bleeding.

    “So, patient indeed have their rights and the onus lies with our healthcare provider to be able to be able to know the rights every patient has and also the responsibility that backs the right because as they have their rights, they also have their responsibilities.

    “Likewise the healthcare providers. We have our own responsibility towards our patients and that is our attitude to them, when we are giving them information, we give so within the confines of what we think they should know bearing in mind that we need to protect the privacy and confidentiality of such information. It is not information that every nook and cranny should be able to get.

    “The information must be kept confidential where it is needed, except where the cause of care requires a multidisciplinary approach where other healthcare providers are to be involved to be able to take good care of the patients, so we must ensure that we keep confidentiality in the cause of treating our patients.

    “And as healthcare providers, we should maintain professionalism and our attitude to our patients is very important. The information we are giving can elicit different reactions from different people. If we explain the situation to our patients in a way that shows empathy, it will go a long way.

    Also speaking, the Technical Assistant to the Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, FCCPC, Mrs. Morayo Adisa, said the Police have made it clear that a police report may not be required before administering treatment but that it is expected that such a case will be reported to the police in case the patient is suspected victim or involved in crime.

    She said the commission might have to facilitate another stakeholder meeting where medical practitioners and security operatives will be brought together to address and resolve the issue, noting that many medical practitioners are still operating under the impression that the report is required before treating patients of suspected cases of crime.

    ReplyForward
  • Patient safety: A call for enhanced healthcare standards

    Patient safety: A call for enhanced healthcare standards

    In Nigeria, medical and healthcare workers play a crucial role, and any negligence on their part can result in severe consequences for patients and their families. Medical negligence, characterised by improper or negligent treatment by healthcare professionals, underscores the urgent need for healthcare providers to prioritise patient safety, maintain high standards of care, and foster a culture of accountability.

     Patient safety, encompassing efforts to ensure the well-being and quality of healthcare services, involves preventing medical errors, reducing harm, improving communication, empowering patients, and establishing a culture of safety within healthcare facilities. One significant concern is the rising number of cases related to patient safety in Nigeria, which experts attribute to the country’s large population. Effective patient safety policies and infrastructure are necessary to address quality issues in healthcare. Although some patients or their families seek legal redress, many incidents of negligence go unnoticed.

     Legal experts emphasise Nigeria’s existing laws that protect patients’ rights to safety, urging legislators to pass more laws strengthening patient safety and overall healthcare quality. Organisations like Ducit Blue Solutions advocate for the establishment of a Patient Safety Programme Board overseeing education and training initiatives to ensure safe healthcare practices. The Nigerian government acknowledges the importance of patient safety and has developed the National Policy and Implementation Strategy on Patient Safety and Care Quality. This policy focuses on improving various aspects of patient safety, including family engagement, medication safety, surgical safety, and infection prevention. Despite these efforts, challenges such as limited resources and inadequate infrastructure persist, hindering progress. Continuous commitment, collaboration, and the implementation of evidence-based practices are essential to improving patient safety in Nigeria. With ongoing efforts, the country can enhance healthcare standards, ensuring better outcomes for all patients.

    Read Also: ‘Public-private partnerships will boost healthcare system’

     But government says it is taking steps to address the challenges. Dr Shetak Gilbert, Head of Patient Safety/Oxygen, Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), said that Nigeria has developed the first-ever National Policy and Implementation Strategy on Patient Safety and care quality. Gilbert said the policy is in line with the Resolution 18 of the 55th World Health Assembly (WHA 55.18), which called for member states to recognise the burden of patient safety and to set up policies to manage them.

     “The National Patient Safety and Care Quality policy focuses on improving different aspects of patient safety including family engagement in healthcare, medication safety, surgical safety, infection prevention and control (IPC) etc. The document aligned with the FMOH four-point agenda: improving quality of health governance in Nigeria and improving population health outcomes. It is also in line with medical industrialisation-the value chain of the health sector; and improving health security- preparatory response to public health threats,” he explained.

     According to the Chairman National Advocates for Health (NA4H), Mohammed Usman, the Nigerian healthcare system recognise the importance of patient safety and has made efforts to address this issue. “The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, in collaboration with other stakeholders, has developed policies and guidelines to improve patient safety standards and practices in the country,” he said.

     Usman said it was important to note that while efforts were being made to improve patient safety in the country there was still plenty of work to be done. “Challenges such as limited resources, inadequate infrastructure, and systemic issues can hinder progress. However, with ongoing commitment, collaboration, and implementation of evidence-based practices, Nigerian patient safety can continue to improve, ensuring better healthcare outcomes for all patients,” he said.

  • ‘Public-private partnerships will boost healthcare system’

    ‘Public-private partnerships will boost healthcare system’

    The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), has called for an improved policy environment around public-private partnership (PPPs) in Nigeria’s Healthcare system.

    It noted that that successful PPPs help reduce health disparities by extending quality health services to underserved populations.

    Speaking during a webinar with the theme: “PPP for Healthcare: Getting the Policy Environment Right”, the Chief Investment Officer (CIO) of Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), Mr Kola Owodunni, stated that Nigeria as a nation still has a lot to do in terms of providing quality healthcare for its citizens.

    Owoduni noted that quality healthcare is not a luxury but a human right, especially for a nation vying for sustainable economic transformation and social inclusion.

    He added that PPPs have demonstrated globally their potential to optimise resource allocation, minimise waste and augment service delivery.

    “They enable the government to focus on policy making, regulation and strategic planning, while the private sector brings innovation, managerial excellence and specialised skills”, he said.

    The Thematic Lead, Health as a Business TG, NESG HPC, Dr Ola Brown said despite being the largest economy in Africa, Nigeria generates less taxes than its peers, which indicates the nation’s economic challenges and makes it difficult for the country to finance healthcare.

    Brown noted that the private sector, through PPPs, can help solve some of Nigeria’s economic challenges by easing the financial burden on the government and presenting attractive opportunities for investors through an offer of high returns and benefits across a diverse range of sectors.

    In her presentation on PPP Analysis, HPC member, Dr. Noimot Balogun  noted that some barriers to PPP implementation include misaligned goals and incentives, limited understanding of the scope of the alliance, and unstable policies driven by non-continuity due to political and power dynamics.

    Read Also: Revitalising primary healthcare for a healthier future

    The Director of the Public Private Partnership Resource Department of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Dr Jobson Oseodion Ewalefoh, who was represented by the head of Energy and Urban Infrastructure PPP, at the ICRC, Mr Ahmed Abdulrazaq, said that PPPs are complex and are not done in isolation.

    He said the legal framework is the most important consideration when embarking on a PPP because it provides the law for the public and private sectors vested within the ICRC.

  • Tinubu to address governance in healthcare sector – Presidency

    Tinubu to address governance in healthcare sector – Presidency

    The Special Adviser to the President on Health, Dr Salma Anas, says the Renewed Hope Agenda will address governance in the healthcare sector in the country.

    Anas said this on Thursday in Abuja, at the Coronavirus (COVID-19), Transparency and Accountability Project,(CTAP) summit, a health accountability project initiated by BudgIT and CODE to promote transparency and accountability in the healthcare sector.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the summit, with the theme:  New health agenda for Nigeria, aims to improve health sector accountability and investment in health.

    She encouraged Nigerians to stand up as stakeholders in the business of the healthcare sector in Nigeria.

    It is aimed at fostering more engagement in conversations around health-related issues among young people.

    She said that the plans for a new governance regime in the health sector, as she believed, was likely to be a priority area of consideration among others.

    She said that as a strategic approach, the Renewed Hope Health Agenda was focusing on interventions in eight strategic areas to ensure the attainment of the president’s objectives for the health sector.

    “Our consultations in the process of developing the agenda made it clear that good governance that embodies accountability and transparency was the key to unlocking all the other components of the agenda.

    Read Also: Tinubu, Abiodun felicitate Alake of Egba at 80

    “Thus, addressing governance is accorded the highest priority in the Renewed Hope Agenda.

    “This has also been echoed by the coordinating minister of health and social welfare in his four-point agenda, which is the framework within which he envisions delivering the Presidential Mandate on Health,” she said.

    She said that the agenda was premised on the concept of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) as its primary objective and considering health as an investment.

    She said that the agenda envisioned how through health, new jobs could be created, and how a vibrant healthy population could bring greater economic and social development to the Nigerian people.

    Dr Kaltuma Ahmed, Kaduna State Commissioner for Health, said on the situation of healthcare in the state, there were ongoing plans to renovate and equip 255 Primary Health Care centres and strengthen the health insurance scheme.

    Ahmed said that the Kaduna State Government pledged to focus on five healthcare areas to provide an adequate health system.

    She said that the administration focused on five pivotal areas through diligent work and collaboration for the well-being of citizens.

    She said that the state was sustaining the 15 per cent of its budget for the health sector and it remained one of the priorities of the state.

    Mr Hamzat Lawal, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CODE, said it was time to table the people’s needs, listen to both sides and find ways to collaborate for health sector reform in the country.

    Hamzat said that emergencies could, however, strike at times.

    “Being ready is not an option; it’s a necessity. There is a need therefore to allocate funds for operational research, establish healthcare contingency reserves, and strengthen our incident management capabilities.

    “Preparedness is our shield against disasters,” he said.

    According to him, “Let’s make decisions together, informed by knowledge and involving all stakeholders.”

    He said that equity should be the guiding principle, from resource distribution to accountability.

    “We must fight corruption, expand health coverage, monitor private healthcare providers, and promote inclusivity.

    “Bringing back healthcare professionals from abroad is a step towards building a stronger domestic workforce.

    “Together, these measures pave the path to a healthcare system that works for everyone effective, accountable, and inclusive,” he said.

    Dr Adaeze Oreh, Commissioner for Health, Rivers State, said addressing the brain drain in the country required a comprehensive approach that addressed the underlying causes.

    Oreh said there was a need for the state government to provide incentives for healthcare professionals to stay and contribute to the country’s healthcare system.

    She said by implementing these strategies it would require collaboration between the government, healthcare institutions, professional associations, and other stakeholders.

    “It is essential to address the brain drain in the country’s health sector, to ensure the availability of skilled healthcare professionals and improve the overall healthcare system in the country,” she said.

    Meanwhile, Mr Oluseun Onigbinde, Co-founder and Director of BudgIT, highlighted the impact of CTAP across nine African countries.

    Onigbinde stated it was time to decentralise the conversation to the state and geo-political zones of the country.

    (NAN)

  • Edo investment summit targets education, business, healthcare, others

    By Ambrose Nnaji

    Edo State has become an investors’ delight in the last three years with reforms being spearheaded by Governor Godwin Obaseki. From November 8 to 12, Nigeria’s business community will converge on Benin City, for the third edition of the Alaghodaro Summit, which showcases the landmark achievements in education, primary healthcare, business and other sectors, being recorded in the state, writes Ambrose Nnaji

    When Governor Godwin Obaseki, during his inauguration on November, 12, 2016 identified agriculture, education and industrialisation as strong pillars on which the Edo state’s economic revolution would stand, many believed it was one of the plausible and chimerical chants sung by politicians, with little or no intention of fulfilling them.

    Justifiably, the belief may have held some water because since the advent of Nigeria’s democracy in 1999, most governors have been widely adjudged to have performed poorly, despite uninterruptedly completing their two-terms of eight years in office. While some were found to be somewhat power drunk, corrupt and without a strategy of implementation of policies, others chiefly think more about self, family and loyalists than the populace.  But in barely three years, Governor Obaseki is already rewriting history, bringing governance and its dividends to the doorsteps of Edo people.

    Unlike what was attained in the past, there is an exciting breath of fresh air in various sectors of the state including education; economy; infrastructural, human capacity and industrial development; agriculture and rural development. The governor has touched almost every nook and cranny in the state in terms of developmental projects that are visible for ‘any doubting Thomas’ to see.

    More so, apart from bringing panache and dignity to governance,  Obaseki through his populist and people-oriented reforms has elevated the face of leadership and redefined politics to be able to make government respond to the yearnings of the suffering masses, which ordinarily should be the penchant of any government in power.

    A visitor in Edo State will be astounded by the rate of massive industrial and infrastructural developments, as well as the strategic execution of laudable policies and reforms, which prescient observers say have repositioned the state to investor’s destination, tourism hub and construction site. With a pellucid vision, the Obaseki-led administration is pulling every string available to attract investors, build local capacity and create wealth for Edo State and its people.

    Alaghodaro: The Summit

    Right from the electioneering seasons, the governor has remained resilient and focused on his visions and aspirations to transform Edo State to a business destination haven. Almost on a daily basis, the ‘wake and see’ governor, unveils policies and strategies to break the ground in fast-tracking the state’s industrialisation and economic diversification.

    This is one of the reasons for the birth of the Alaghodaro Summit. With the theme, “Delivering to Our People, The Next Level”, the 2019 edition will create an avenue to evaluate how the Obaseki-led administration’s policies, programmes and initiatives have been able to transform the lives of ordinary Edo people and articulate aspirations for further achievements.

    Alaghodaro, meaning progress, started in 2017, bringing big ticket investors from all parts of the world, thereby exposing the state to more investors and expanding its economic space. Last year, it was a “People’s Summit” that brought all Edo people and residents together in one place, face-to-face with their governor to discuss on challenges confronting the state and identify peculiar and innovative ways to tackling them. But the 2019 edition of the summit will enable the government to assess the impact of the people-centred policies, programmes and projects of the governor on job creation, youth empowerment, basic and technical education, healthcare, food security, among others.

     

    Agriculture Revolution

    Already, impacts of the governor’s effort to unlock the state’s potentials are eminently felt in all sectors. One of Obaseki’s blueprint for development in the state is the harnessing of agriculture’s immense capacity to accommodate more hands. With a vision to create over 200,000 jobs after his first tenure at the helm of affairs of the state, he has gone all out to craft policies and initiatives to get more youths into agriculture through a value-chain driven agricultural development model designed to ensure smooth commodity-to-market flow.

    In Edo, the government is building a strong nexus linking youths, agriculture and jobs. The state government believes that tapping opportunities from its vast arable, loamy land to provide jobs for teeming youths would quell job crisis. The idea is hinged on the thinking that agriculture has a huge potential for job creation, which affords the people better life.

    Already, the farmers in Agenebode axis of the state have started reaping from the bouquet of policies of the Obaseki led administration, harvesting several metric tons of rice in farms cultivated in partnership with the state government, who provided inputs and technical support for the farming season.

    The farms were captured under the state’s Agriprenuer programme, which prioritises the cultivation of a number of crops, including maize, cassava and rice. Over 10,000 hectares of land in various locations across the state are being cultivated under the agripreneur programme. The state government intends to harvest 17,000 metric tons of rice by cultivating 4,000 hectares of land at the end of the planting season in 2019.

    The state government also boasts a Fertilizer Plant. Governor Obaseki said during the opening ceremony of the Edo Fertilizer Plant, that the plant was a key peg for engaging youths in the state, especially as it provided needed input to fast-track agricultural development. According to him, “This achievement is an open call to other investors to bring in new technology, create more jobs and expand our economic opportunities.

    Also, the industrialisation plan pursued by the Obaseki-led  Edo State Government is quite grand and encompasses a wide range of strategically connected projects which does not only targets to see the rise of the state as an economic hub, but as a cynosure of all those seeking to make an industrial city from a lowly civil-service state.

    The government has been committed to its grand plan to reincarnate the state as an industrial city serviced by gas-powered power plants, housing refineries, seaports, industrial clusters, innovation hubs, smart neighbourhoods and a number of other investments.

     

    Revamping Technical Education

    As Obaseki goes around courting investors, an extensive overhaul of the Government Science and Technical College, formerly known as Benin Technical College is still ongoing. The revamp is in order to train a new breed of technicians and scientists that will be absorbed by investors in the new companies expected to sprout from the Industrial Park and other projects that will be requiring technical manpower. The government has, in the same vein, been training youths in enterprise development and other critical skills required in the 21st century workplace through its EdoJobs platform.

    A critical sector that the state government has beamed light is the education sector, which is expected to supply the needed manpower for the lofty ideas of the government. Reforms in basic and technical education are ushering in a new breed of human resources to drive the state’s development efforts.

     

    Re-enacting basic education

    with Edo-BEST

    One specific reform in the sector that has continued to earn the governor accolades and recognitions is the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (EDOBEST) programme spearheaded by the Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).

    Aimed at transforming the basic education sub-sector and consequently improving learning outcomes in schools, the project recently earned the governor a national honour by the Nigeria union of Teachers (NUT). The feat has attracted the international community as the governments of Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania have sent representatives at different times to Edo State to understudy the Edo-BEST initiative. Just recently, Lagos State Government adopted the Edo State Basic Education model after officials of the state came to learn how the programme works.

    So far, the programme has impacted 11,300 government teachers, reaching 918 schools and around 300,000 children. A recent study conducted in the state showed higher academic attainment among children in the project. Governor Godwin Obaseki, said the programme will, “develop a highly-skilled teaching workforce by training, supporting and motivating Edo State teachers to succeed in the classroom of tomorrow, empowering our children to compete effectively in the world of work. The programme will leapfrog the basic education delivery systems by leveraging technology to gather and utilise accurate and timely data to drive policy and planning decisions.”

    Guests on parade for Alaghodaro 2019

    All these and many more are part of the reasons the Alaghodaro Summit was put up, examine the success of the three years of project execution of the Obaseki-led administration and identify new paths to be explored in improving the lives of the Edo people. The events will bring together all Edo sons and daughters, home and abroad, as well as businessmen, investors across the globe.

    Some of prominent guests expected at this year’s Alaghodaro Summit are the Managing Director of Shell Nigeria, Mr. Osagie Osunbor; Executive Director, Dangote Group, Halima Dangote; Chairman, Nosak Group, Dr. Toni Ogunbor; Toni Adepoju of KPMG Nigeria, among others.

    According to Special Adviser to the Edo State Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, “In the last three years, Edo people have witnessed an incursion of businesses into the state to take advantage of the reforms being implemented by the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led government. One of the iconic things we have done for the business community is to ensure that that we respect the sanctity of contracts and also make doing business in the state seamless.”

    “The people know what this administration has done with the fight against human trafficking, through which our children are now free from the grip of human traffickers. Investors are coming to the state to harness prospects in projects such as the Benin River Port, the Edo Modular Refinery, Edo Innovation Hub, Edo Production Center, and the Benin Enterprise and Industrial Park.”

    Osagie continued: “The governor has continued to receive commendations on job creation with the opening of the Edo Production Centre, skills acquisition training programmes for youths which have benefitted over 150,000 persons, support to farmers to boost food security and other laudable initiatives to drive industrialisation, economic expansion and create wealth for Edo people.”

    “The interesting thing about the 2019 Alaghodaro Summit is the focus on how the Obaseki-led administration has continued to deliver dividends of democracy to Edo people and residents.”

  • Restitution and patients’ rights in healthcare (11)

    26. (1) All information concerning a user, including information relating to his or her health status, treatment or stay in a health establishment is confidential.

    Confidentiality (2) Subject to section 27, no person may disclose any information contemplated in subsection (1) unless: (a) The user consents to that disclosure in writing; (b) a court order or any law requires that disclosure; or (i) in the case of a minor with the request of a parent or guardian; and (ii) in the case of a person who is otherwise unable to grant consent upon the request of a guardian or representative. (c) Non-disclosure of the information represents a serious threat to public health.

    Section 27: A health worker or any healthcare provider that has access to the health records of a user may disclose such personal information to any other person, health care provider or health establishment as is necessary for any legitimate purpose within the ordinary course and scope of his or her duties where such access or disclosure is in the interest of the user.

    Section 28: (1) A health care provider may examine a user’s health records for the purposes of: (a) Treatment with the authorisation of the user; and (b) Study, teaching or research with the authorisation of the user, head of the health establishment concerned and the relevant health research ethics committee. (2) If the study, teaching or research under subsection (l) (b) of this section reflects or obtains no information as to the identity of the user concerned, it is not necessary to obtain the authorisations contemplated in that subsection.

    Who is a consumer or in this case, healthcare consumer? A consumer is someone who purchases goods or services for own personal use and not for resale or for manufacture. Thus, everyone is a consumer in one form or the other, purchasing various goods and services. We depend on each other to survive. The provider of goods and services does so either as an individual or an organisation – whatever the form of such organisation – as an enterprising party for either profit or not-for-profit. The enterprise that is for profit is driven by the desire to make money. In so doing, the enterprise tends to take the route of efficiency: gaining much profit with little input. In the course of gaining profit, in the process of manufacturing goods or providing services, errors may occur. The interaction of human beings and processing of materials, all in the course to meet consumer expectation, may lead to harmful errors, faulty products, poor quality of goods and services with an end-result that causes injury to the consumer. Such injury, in a lawful and decent society of men and women, cannot and should not go without a remedy.

    On the other side of the coin, not-for-profit organisation such as churches, mosques and any other religious entity, children’s charity, and so many others, provides services or goods for reasons. Some healthcare providers, acting as charitable organisations, are set up to provide free healthcare to the public. Some legal practitioners provide charitable services. Some have altruistic intention and some exist to satisfy a given desire. In any case, a consumer still exists that consumes the doctrines, the information and services that charitable organisations provide. Regardless of if for profit or not, there are consumers for what these organisations provide. Whatever the status of such entities, so long as they provide something that someone else uses, they have a duty of care to that someone (See Nsima v. Nigerian Bottling Company (2014) LPELR- 22542(CA)). As a result of the doctrine of duty of care, consumers have rights considering that a consumer may very often give something (money, consideration, time, or productive efforts) in return for exchange for the products or services that they consume.

    Consumer protection in Nigeria

    In Nigeria, there are various laws as we have seen that are put in place to protect both biological and legal individuals. In spite of all these, abuse in various forms, persists in our society. Redress for the victims is scanty, far and few, if any. Perhaps, until 1992 when law set up the Consumer Protection Council (CPC), consumers in general, had a few routes, if any, to redress in Nigeria. As we have seen, litigation can be tortuous and expensive. It was a welcome development, when the CPC commenced operations in 1999 under the enabling Consumer Protection Council (CPC) Act (1992) with the following vision: “To be a dynamic, effective and responsible apex consumer protection agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria, championing the cause of fully sensitised consumers to achieve a caring and consumer-friendly community.”

    CPC will (or should) thus cover and intervene in any issue of consumer abuse or personal injury cases that come to its attention in any industrial sector in Nigeria.  It, therefore, seems that, the CPC is a valid and legitimate alternative route for seeking redress in cases of consumer abuses and personal injuries including clinical negligence issues. However and curiously, here is an observation by Damilola Sawyerr of Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies. “Although the CPC Act makes provision for redress to complaints made by consumers through negotiation, mediation and conciliation a good alternative to court processes, the effectiveness of the Act and the ability of the Council to protect the rights of consumers through the monitoring of products manufactured by FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) companies is still in question.…initiative by the Council may also serve to provide redress to obnoxious practices or the unscrupulous exploitation of consumers by companies, firms, trade association or individual. It is only then that consumers can have respite and make FMCG companies accountable for the effects of their products on human health.”

    In summary, however, the CPC remains a good alternative to formal regulators of professionals, litigation, expensive legal representation and the court process. If you have any question or clarification on this article, please contact me: Tel: 07087733114 or website: www.the-hospitals.com

    • Culled from the book: Personal Injury & Clinical Negligence: Consumer Rights & Provider’s Responsibilities By Joel Akande