Revitalised PHCs deliver care to 1m Nigerians — PSHAN

L-R: Head, Membership and Partnerships, Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria (PSHAN), Muyiwa Olowoporoku; Director, Board, PSHAN, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede; Director, Policy and Programmes, PSHAN, Dr. Anne Adah-Ogoh; and Head, Corporate Communications, PSHAN, Oyinkansola Evboren, during the PSHAN annual conference 2026 held at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, last week.

By Admin

 

 

The Adopt-a-Primary Healthcare Facility Project (APHFP) has provided healthcare services to nearly one million Nigerians in the past three years, underscoring the impact of revitalising primary healthcare centres and expanding access to quality care, the Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria (PSHAN) has said.

Speaking on the initiative's impact, PSHAN's Director of Policy, Dr. Anne Adah-Ogoh, said the project has transformed access to healthcare in communities where primary healthcare facilities were either non-functional or operating below capacity.

Adah-Ogoh who spoke in Lagos during the PSHAN annual conference 2026 themed “Driving Digital Innovation For a Healthier Nigeria” noted that restoring the centres to full functionality has not only improved access to healthcare but led to a rise in service utilisation.

"Although these primary healthcare centres were already operating before the intervention, utilisation increased by more than 1,000 percent after the revitalisation and that sends a clear message. Nigerians will use healthcare services when they are affordable, of good quality and available when they need them, without exposing them to financial hardship," she said.

Adah-Ogoh remarked that strengthening primary healthcare remains the most effective way to tackle the country's disease burden, as close to 80 per cent of Nigeria's health challenges can be addressed at that level before they progress to conditions requiring secondary or tertiary care.

She also highlighted the importance of health insurance in improving access to healthcare, especially when many Nigerians still pay out of pocket.

"Healthcare cannot be considered truly accessible if people are forced into financial hardship to obtain treatment. The most effective solution is health insurance, where people pay affordable premiums into a pooled fund. Those pooled resources enable them to access healthcare services whenever they need them without paying directly at the point of care," she said.

On maternal and child health, Adah-Ogoh said the project has significantly expanded access to skilled birth attendance, enabling more women to receive antenatal care, pregnancy counselling and safe delivery services within their communities.

“In the past three years, we have provided skilled birth attendants, this means a woman can go to the facility, have antenatal care, be advised about her pregnancy, and be able to give birth in the facility over the period of time where these healthcare centers have been revitalised.” 

She disclosed that nearly 300,000 women had received care at the revitalised primary healthcare centres over the past three years, helping to reduce the risk of maternal deaths linked to pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period.

The programme has delivered routine immunisation services to almost 250,000 infants, contributing to improved child survival and a reduction in vaccine-preventable diseases.

“This means if we can fix our primary health care system, then the chances that our health care indices will be better,” she said.

In his keynote address, the Country Head, Nigeria, Flutterwave, Chizoba Okafor observed that the same financial infrastructure that transformed payments can also transform healthcare.

“Healthcare must follow a seamless interconnected ecosystem. Hospitals, pharmacies, laboratories, insurers and government agencies still operate largely as disconnected systems, the next major breakthrough in healthcare will not come from a single innovation, but from how effectively these systems work together, just as our banking and telecommunications sectors have done,” Okafor said.

According to him, digital health must be built on strong governance, robust cybersecurity and effective data protection. “The goal is for patients to move seamlessly through every stage of care, from booking appointments and making payments to receiving prescriptions and processing insurance claims, without unnecessary stress or delays. Their focus should be on getting well, not on navigating the healthcare system.”

 

 

Flooding is now a public health emergency in Lagos, Abayomi warns

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Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, has described flooding as a major public health emergency, warning that its impact extends far beyond damaged roads and submerged homes to threaten lives, livelihoods, and access to essential services.

Speaking after an assessment of flood-affected communities alongside Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Deputy Governor Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, and other senior government officials, Abayomi said flooding disrupts healthcare delivery, education, businesses, and social activities while exposing residents to serious health risks.

He said floodwaters are frequently contaminated with sewage, chemicals, and other pollutants, creating conditions for outbreaks of waterborne diseases such as cholera and typhoid. He added that residents also face increased risks of skin infections, injuries, snakebites, and electrocution from submerged electrical installations.

"Flooding is not just an environmental event; it is a public health emergency that affects every aspect of people's lives," he said, noting that many families also grapple with anxiety, uncertainty, and emotional distress long after floodwaters have receded," he said.

Abayomi noted that the burden of flooding is particularly severe for vulnerable groups, including older persons, young children, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and people living with disabilities.

Reflecting on the government's visit to affected communities, the Commissioner said one of the most striking scenes was seeing canoe operators transporting residents, especially elderly people and those with mobility challenges, across flooded streets.

To minimise the health consequences of flooding, Abayomi said the Ministry of Health has intensified disease surveillance in affected communities, strengthened monitoring for outbreaks of waterborne diseases, promoted safe water and sanitation practices, and is working with relevant ministries to reduce flood-related health risks.

He also disclosed that the state has developed a new generation of climate-resilient healthcare facilities designed to withstand recurring floods and the growing effects of climate change.

Abayomi said the new health facility blueprint incorporates elevated structures above projected flood levels, low-carbon and naturally cooled building designs, improved drainage systems, green roofs for stormwater management and rainwater harvesting, strict infection prevention measures, and integrated solar power systems to ensure uninterrupted healthcare services during power outages.

He said the facilities are intended to remain operational during emergencies while providing safe and reliable healthcare for decades.

Abayomi urged residents to avoid contact with floodwaters whenever possible, drink only safe or treated water, practice good hand hygiene, switch off electricity before entering flooded homes, and seek immediate medical attention if they develop symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, or fever.

Abayomi stressed that protecting public health requires more than quality hospital care, insisting that healthier communities depend on safer living environments.

"Protecting Lagos from the health impacts of flooding requires government, communities, and residents to work together to build a safer, more resilient city," he remarked.

Nordica donates Nigeria's first public sector HIFU machine to FCTA, strengthens cervical cancer care

 

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 Nigeria's drive to expand access to advanced reproductive healthcare gained fresh momentum on Thursday as Nordica Fertility Centre donated a state-of-the-art High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) machine to the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), making it the first and only HIFU system in the country's public health sector.

The donation was announced during the second edition of the Abuja Reproductive Health Week 2026, hosted by Nordica Fertility Centre. The initiative is designed to promote innovation, encourage collaboration and widen access to quality reproductive healthcare for women across Nigeria.

Presented through the FCTA Health Services and Environment Secretariat (HSES), the HIFU machine is expected to change the way pre-malignant cervical lesions are treated by providing a non-invasive alternative to conventional surgery.

The equipment will be installed at Wuse District Hospital, where it will work alongside the colposcopy machine Nordica previously donated to the facility. While the colposcopy unit is used to detect abnormal changes in the cervix, the newly installed HIFU system will treat eligible patients whose lesions are identified during screening.

Together, the two technologies provide what health experts describe as a complete continuum of care, from early detection and diagnosis to timely treatment within Nigeria's public healthcare system.

Officials at the event described the donation as a landmark investment in women's health and a significant boost to efforts aimed at strengthening cervical cancer prevention and treatment services across the Federal Capital Territory.

High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound is an advanced medical technology that uses concentrated ultrasound waves to destroy abnormal tissue without making surgical incisions. Compared with many conventional procedures, it offers shorter recovery periods, fewer complications and greater comfort for patients.

For women diagnosed with pre-malignant cervical lesions, prompt treatment can prevent the condition from progressing to invasive cervical cancer, one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among Nigerian women.

Nordica Fertility Centre said the donation underscores its commitment to supporting public health institutions with modern medical technology that improves patient outcomes and broadens access to quality reproductive healthcare.

According to the fertility centre, the HIFU machine builds on its earlier investment in cervical cancer prevention through the donation of a colposcopy machine to Wuse District Hospital, creating an integrated pathway for the detection and treatment of cervical abnormalities.

Stakeholders said introducing HIFU technology into Nigeria's public health system marks an important milestone, particularly as the country continues to strengthen efforts to reduce the burden of cervical cancer through expanded screening, earlier diagnosis and prompt treatment.

The second Abuja Reproductive Health Week brought together healthcare professionals, policymakers, development partners and reproductive health advocates to explore new innovations and practical strategies for improving reproductive health outcomes nationwide.

Discussions also underscored the need for stronger public-private partnerships to bridge persistent gaps in access to quality reproductive healthcare, especially for women who may not be able to afford advanced medical procedures in private hospitals.

With the latest donation, Nordica Fertility Centre has deepened its support for Nigeria's public health sector while reinforcing the role private healthcare providers can play in complementing government efforts to strengthen specialist services and expand access to life-saving medical technologies.

Health experts believe the introduction of the HIFU system into the FCTA public health network will improve access to timely treatment, reduce the need for referrals outside the territory and ultimately enhance the quality of care available to women at risk of developing cervical cancer.