FG urged to deepen public private partnership in health sector

The Federal Government has been urged to deepen collaboration with the private sector to address the challenges bedeviling the health sector and boost efficiency.

Christopher Otabor, medical director of Alliance Hospital, said the shortage of critical medical equipment in some of the public hospitals highlights the need to strengthen Public Private Partnership (PPP) in the sector.

The medical director, while speaking with journalists in Abuja, said, “Government needs to be open to public private partnership. The private sector shouldn’t be seen as competitors but collaborators only then can we bridge the existing gap in the sector.”

He also lamented that healthcare tourism is a major expenditure in Nigeria, adding that the Hospital is working to ensure total reversal of medical tourism outside Nigeria by providing quality healthcare personnel and equipment.

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While stating willingness to partner with public hospitals, he informed that Alliance Hospital is equipped with world class facilities and diagnostics such as a 66 bed capacity, 5 ICU beds with Ventilators, SCBU with 4 ventilators, 3 HDU beds, 0.4T MRI scanner, 64 Slice Revolution Maxima GE CT Scan, EGG Machine, Digital X-ray, 2C- arms among others

In his remarks, the President, Association of Nigeria Health Journalists Joseph Kadiri insisted on partnership with medical specialists to help interpret and interrogate policies in the sector.

“We are keen on interrogating policies that would e made in this sector and we need to do this from an informed point of view hence, we would love to partner with you to understand the sector and the challenges you face,” Otabor said.

Alliance Hospital was established as a clinic in 2011, and became a full-fledged hospital in 2014. The hospital, which aims to reduce medical tourism by providing efficient healthcare, has recorded 27 kidney transplants, 16 brain surgeries, 98 ICU admission, 27 joint replacement surgeries, among others.