As part of efforts to enhance patient’s care in the treatment of COVID-19, the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) on Thursday donated 126 units of Patient Monitors and 63 units of Oxygen Concentrators worth $600,000 to 21 Healthcare Institutions across the country.
Each healthcare institution will receive four Regular Monitors, two ICU Monitors and three Oxygen Concentrators to augment government’s ongoing effort and add to the stock of critical medical equipment needed in these hospitals across the country.
The Managing Director of NSIA, Uche Orji, speaking at the virtual handover of the facilities, said the Authority is deeply concerned about the lack of these critical infrastructure in the selected health facilities especially as the country battles a surge in COVID-19 cases. He said the facilities will help the centres manage patients effectively and reduce number of deaths.
“ We took the position that our health care system would be seen to have failed if doctors are unable to, at the minimum, offer comparable levels of care or treatment to every patient who may be exposed to the disease. We sought to assist to prevent such a situation.
He said the NSIA did not just seek to donate equipment, but outlined a model which ensures that the beneficiaries of these equipment will also receive after-sale support from the Original Equipment Manufacturers in terms of training and maintenance.
Orji also informed that the Authority will do more interventions in the health sector and also announced plans to establish a pharmaceutical company to produce generic drugs, collaborating with the University College in London (UCL) in that regard.
“We started our conversation with the University College London over 18 months ago and that was for the UCL to help the NSIA develop and create a world class generic pharmaceutical drug manufacturing entity. They are providing the consulting services.
We will go into pharmaceutical manufacturing, a lot has been going on,” he said.
Orji also disclosed that NSIA has started chasing vaccine production and would explore other aspects.
The Managing Director further said the Authority will establish more diagnostic, radiology and cancer centres, and that a Centre for Advanced Medicine is already underway in Abuja.
In addition, he recalled that the NSIA collaborated with Global Citizens to create the Nigeria Solidarity Support Fund, which will be used to foster economic recovery and rehabilitate health centres across the country .
The Director General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Chikwe Ihekweazu, also speaking, said the donation is critical following the second wave of the pandemic and the shortage of important facilities in the health care institutions.
The DG said the donations will enable the health facilities provide specialized care to patients, and strengthen health security, which he described as a major need in the country.
In the same Vein, the Minister of finance, Zainab Ahmed appreciated the NSIA for the donations. She noted that the investments will not only improve the health sector, but also holds returns for the economy.
“We are glad that the NSIA is continuing the work that it has started, We urge the NSIA to continue its interventions in health,” she said.
Boss Mustafa, Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 in his remarks noted that the second wave of the pandemic is deadlier, and case management remains key. He said the facilities donated will be very instrumental in managing the pandemic.
“This is indeed a welcome development and could not have come at a better time. I charge the health centres to utilize these, oxygen concentrators will support the recovery of patients “, he added, while commending the NSIA.
Mustapha expressed his regrets over the non compliance to the non pharmaceutical measures but hoped that the newly signed health regulations will give credence to security entities to enforcement compliance.
The Minister of health, Osagie Ehanire, said the health system is in need of great reforms. He acknowledged that all levels of the health care sector including primary , secondary and tetiary health facilities have not performed well over the years and is in need of great reforms and revitilization.
Ehanire said such reforms can be achieved better through creativity, investment in the sector and interventions as done by the NSIA. He also noted that the problem of the health sector is not entirely lack of personnel or facilities, but also lack of management.
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