The Federal Government has outlined a multi-pillar strategy aimed at transforming the country’s health data management system, in a bid to revitalise Nigeria’s health sector and boost the economy.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Tunji Alausa disclosed on Tuesday in Abuja.
Alausa spoke at a high-level policy dialogue focused on sustainable health system reforms in Nigeria, themed “Private Sector Support for SWAP (Sector Wide Approach) in Healthcare.”
The dialogue was organised by the Healthcare Federation of Nigeria (HFN), a coalition of private-sector stakeholders.
It is aimed to address the multifaceted challenges plaguing Nigeria’s healthcare system.
Alausa explained the need for an integrated approach to healthcare that aligns with national economic goals.
He highlighted four key pillars of the strategy.
He said that the first pillar focused on government involvement in health improvement, asserting that a robust health system is essential for enhancing the population’s well-being and economic productivity.
“The second pillar aims to unlock the potential of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), enabling it to contribute significantly to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP),” he said.
The minister criticised the current state of the NPHCDA, describing it as primarily “green, cost-saving, and GDP-limited”, and called for reforms to ensure that it served as a valuable asset.
He said that the third pillar addressed the intersection of health, social and national security, proposing a digitalisation effort to enhance health care delivery and data management.
“In the 21st century, we must ensure our data is accurate and actionable,” he said.
He stressed the importance of moving away from piecemeal data collection that often lacked coherence.
Alausa expressed concern over the current fragmented nature of health data collection where various development partners operate independently without a cohesive strategy.
“With a population of 220 million, we can not afford to have disparate programmes that do not communicate with each other,” he said.
He said that the proposed solution included a national intellectual development initiative that fostered collaboration among stakeholders in health, policy, and education.
The Minister clarified that the government would not own the data solutions being developed.
He said that the government was leveraging its role to facilitate the flow of data, ultimately aiming to transition ownership to the private sector.
“We are creating a platform where the private sector can plug in and contribute, outlining how this shift could lead to monetisation of health data in the future,” he said.
The minister detailed plans for operationalising the data management platform, where states can adopt a standardised Patient Management Record (PMR) solution to streamline their digitalisation efforts.
According to him. this approach will enable comprehensive tracking of health data from primary, secondary and tertiary levels.
He explained the need for a more efficient and error-free data collection method.
He proposed the implementation of a new public health data-gathering system focusing on critical areas such as immunisation and maternal health.
“Currently, health data is collected using lengthy questionnaires with up to 500 data points, often filled out manually, leading to inaccuracies.
“Central to this strategy is the establishment of a comprehensive national identification system, where every individual will have a unique identifier linked to health services,” he said.
The minister announced the introduction of a Temporary National Identification Number (TNIN) for those who do not yet have a National Identification Number (NIN).
He said that it would ensure that everyone could be accounted for in the health system.
He also unveiled plans for a pilot program designed to enhance care continuity through geofenced primary care centres.
“Within two years, we aim to have 90 million individuals registered on this platform.
“This system will not only streamline data collection, but also ensure continuity of care, allowing health information to follow patients across borders.
“This initiative will allow for seamless bidirectional data flow between primary care centres in Nigeria and neighbouring countries, improving the management of patients who travel for health services.
“Our goal is to create a health ecosystem where information flows freely and securely, ensuring that every patient receives the best possible care, regardless of their location,” he said.
In his address on the future of healthcare, Dr Ricardo Baptista explained the urgent need for a transformative approach to health systems aimed at improving outcomes, quality of life, and well-being for all.
Baptista Leite is the President, UNITE Parliamentarians Network for Global Health and CEO of HealthAI.
He said that to radically transform health systems, countries must develop indicators that effectively reduce the burden of disease within their communities.
He stressed the importance of incentivising collaboration among all stakeholders, from the public to the private sector, to prioritise health promotion rather than merely addressing sickness.
“We need to use the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to build a new model of healthcare for the future that is focused on well-being and quality of life,” he said.
He highlighted the potential of AI as an equaliser in healthcare, but cautioned that it could also exacerbate inequalities if not properly embraced.
“Africa needs to take the lead when it comes to AI,” he said.
Baptista Leite called for proactive engagement with this transformative technology.
He critiqued the current state of health systems, suggesting that they were often reactive rather than proactive.
“We are in a world where health systems should be called disease systems because they simply react when there are disease outbreaks and people get sick,” he said.
He pointed out that, despite significant financial investments into health systems, the current approach is unsustainable.
He called for a paradigm shift towards a more holistic and sustainable model of healthcare.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
