The Federal Government of Nigeria is advocating improved surgical procedures as part of efforts to improve the delivery of quality healthcare services in the country.
Prof. Ali Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, made the call at the annual meeting of the National Institute of Health Research Global Surgery Unit (NIHR GSU), on Tuesday in Lagos.
The NIHR GSU meeting is an international event that provides a platform for leading experts, researchers, and practitioners in the field of global surgery to discuss and chart ways for improved surgical care.
Pate, represented by Dr Jimoh Salaudeen, Director of Hospital Services at the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), said improved surgical procedures would reposition the health sector of Nigeria to be efficient in its services.
He said that the institute, through its various contributions in the medical sector particularly as the platform for facilitating the largest collaboration in surgery across the globe, is critical to helping Nigeria in attaining the feat.
According to the minister, Nigeria as a member of the global hub funded by the UK NIHR, has recorded giant strides in line with its objectives and has performed creditably as led by Prof. Ademuyiwa Adesoji.
He assured the institute of government’s support in its discharge of duties saying that the administration of President Bola Tinubu is prioritizing research as critical to facilitating development in the healthcare industry.
Speaking earlier, Prof Adesoji Ademuyiwa, a Director of the NIHR GSU, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, described the body as the UK’s largest funder of healthcare which has been supporting Nigeria’s researchers in their studies.
He said that the institute had been involved in cutting-edge research which had resulted in feats being adopted for various interventions in surgery.
Ademuyiwa expressed hope that with the required support from the government and other key stakeholders, more improvements in the surgical sector would be recorded.
Also speaking, Prof. Dion Morton a member of NIHR and a professor of Colorectal Surgery at, the University of Birmingham, described the meeting as a crucial platform to hold deliberations on global leading research in Nigeria and its other members.
He said that seeking improved practices and transforming the lives of surgical patients were issues that were being addressed through its various discussions.
According to Morton, the institute has conducted studies involving cohorts of no fewer than 200,000 patients from three continents in 100 countries.
He added that the studies also included 25,000 patients in intervention trials aimed at improving outcomes for surgical care.
Also, Dr. Salihu Bakari, Director of Research and Development, at Tertiary Education Trust Fund (Tetfund), said that the agency was committed to funding research and collaborations in tertiary institutions to facilitate the needed impact.
