This initiative, billed to span within a two year period, is targeted at advancing Nigeria’s progress in meeting the health MDGs in the short term and advance the health sector from being an economic drag to a net contributor to economic growth and job creation in the mid-term.
Unveiling the two-year strategic plan, Muntaqa Umar-Sadiq, managing director/chief executive officer, PHN, said that two components of the strategic plan – Private Sector Emergency Response Plan and Health Impact Investment Fund- is expected to save more than 400,000 lives (as a public private coalition) in two years and create at least 20,000 jobs in five years.
According to Umar-Sadiq, “the Private Sector Emergency Response will focus on three areas: provision of essential commodities and routine immunization logistics support to address the leading causes of mortality; leverage private sector capabilities and innovation to strengthen primary care systems and build the foundation for a more sustainable healthcare workforce at the frontlines.“
The Managing Director added that with the Health Impact Investment Fund, it is redefining impact investments models in the health sector by focusing on creating jobs and building viable businesses through a revolving fund
approach.
“The fund will focus on scaling up promising health innovations, unlocking new local markets and investing in selected segments of the health value chain that benefit the underserved,” Umar-Sadiq concluded.
Announcing the $24.2 million commitment, the largest private sector pledge ever made in Nigeria health sector through the PHN, Aliko Dangote, co-chair, PHN, made an advocacy declaration on a number of priority healthcare reforms including the National Health Bill, Universal Health Coverage, renewed focus on nutrition and malaria, access to capital reforms to enable the private health sector grow and local market shaping engagements to increase access to life saving commodities and services.
Dangote stated that the strategic action plan is estimated to cost US $56.5 million over two years – prioritizing 14 high burden States. Given the current resource gap, Dangote called on other private sector leaders and development partners to provide additional support, collective capabilities and resources to help meet the nation’s collective goals.
In his remarks, Onyebuchi Chukwu, minister of health, commended the efforts of the private sector, especially the Private Sector Health Alliance, for its intervention by boosting the health care system for optimum results.
Ado Muhammad, executive director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), pointed out that prompt intervention of the private sector in Nigeria’s health sector had already started yielding positive results with the reduction of vaccine preventable diseases.
Muhammad added that the increase in immunisation of children and reduction in the spread of polio as practical examples of Public-Private Partnerships between the Government and the PHN.
Idris Wada, Kogi State Governor and Isa Yuguda, Bauchi State Governor, who responded on behalf of governors in attendance, assured participants of the state governments’ commitment to accelerate private sector intervention in
the health sector.
Earlier, Muhammad Ali Pate, Co-chair, PHN noted that it is time Nigerians see the health sector as a business – a business to save lives, to create jobs and to create wealth.
The Save One Million Lives initiative was conceived as a public private coalition and involves the private sector working closely with government to contribute to the Saving One Million Lives Movement, thereby advancing progress in meeting the health MDGs.
It will be recalled that Bill Gates and business leaders in the country recently launched the Private Health Alliance of Nigeria (PHN) as a country owned private sector led multi-sectoral coalition focused on mobilizing the private sector’s collective capabilities, assets and resources to accelerate improvement in health outcomes. Among its contribution is Saving One Million Lives movement, a platform to advance progress in meeting health-related MDG by focusing on innovation, partnerships, advocacy and impact investments.
Others who spoke at the Joint Declaration includes Sola David Borha, MD, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Toyin Saraki, former First Lady of Kwara State and Founder, Wellbeing Foundation, Jean Gough, UNICEF Country Director,
officials from the World Bank, International Finance Corporation (IFC), USAID, General Electric (GE) and KPMG. (BusinessDay)
