Health
Amref Health Africa, GE Healthcare Support Africa’s Healthcare Systems
By Dipo Olowookere
GE Healthcare and Amref Health Africa today announced a framework agreement that aims to develop a range of in-country health care service collaborations across reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health, non-communicable diseases, water, sanitation and hygiene and safe surgery.
Initially, Amref Health Africa and GE will work together with Intrahealth and Project HOPE on a new program in Ethiopia, where GE will provide medical equipment at 20 health centres and 4 primary hospitals to widen access to antenatal screenings, essential newborn care and to up skill health workers.
The technology will include portable ultrasound for antenatal screening, baby warmers, anaesthesia and resuscitation equipment used during childbirth and phototherapy devices which help mitigate jaundice in babies.
Through a focus on task-shifting, health workers such as midwives who operate in remote communities where access to medically trained personnel is often limited or non-existent, will be taught essential skills to perform additional tasks such as antenatal scans, ensuring that critical, potentially life-saving services are available to the most at-risk patients.
Amref Health Africa is the largest non-governmental organization founded and based in Africa and has more than 60 years’ experience in health development. GE Healthcare is a leading global provider of healthcare technology and services and brings more than 100 years’ experience in the continent. The collaboration allows the partners to develop new in-country programs that will combine their respective technical expertise, capacity building know-how and ability to convene large-scale funding into programs.
The new GE program with Amref Health Africa will build on results from a 6-month GE pilot during which 22 NICU nurses and paediatricians were trained on the provision of essential newborn care. It showed a 24% reduction in facility-based neo-natal mortality, from 82 in every 1000 admissions to 62 in every 1000 admissions.
The study was conducted by the Ethiopian Paediatric Association in consultation with the Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health for Ethiopia, at four sites across Ethiopia, and involved more than 2,400 neonates. It also showed a 50% reduction in patient referrals and a 1-day reduction in overall hospital length of stay after an NICU intervention to 7 days.
“Amref Health Africa stands at the forefront of creating stronger community-based health systems that ensure access to quality health services for all. Training health workers on essential skills for mother and child health is a key component of addressing the high rates of maternal, newborn and child mortality that still exists in far too many communities,” said Dr. Githinji Gitahi Group CEO, Amref Health Africa.
“Strengthening primary care and the broader referral system is an essential building block towards the attainment of universal health coverage in Africa,” said Farid Fezoua, President and CEO, GE Healthcare Africa. “To that end, Amref Health Africa – as a proven and trusted partner in African healthcare, has been at the forefront of primary care development. Leveraging their unique insights and local know-how is an important step in GE’s plan to contribute meaningfully to the reduction of preventable maternal and child mortality.”
He added: “Our approach combines relevant technologies, skills development and localized service delivery into one scalable deployment model. Early pilots have shown promising results and together with Amref Health Africa and our other implementation partners, we have a dedicated and local team monitoring and evaluating these programs to share learnings across the continent.”
Today there are more than a dozen GE Healthcare programs in Nigeria, Tanzania, Kenya, Ghana, South Africa and Sierra Leone aimed at reducing preventable maternal and infant mortality underway together with a range of implementation partners. With a plan to deliver more than 20 such initiatives with several partners including Amref Health Africa, GE aims to reach 3.5 million expectant women, mothers and new-borns and train over 3,000 primary healthcare workers by 2020.
According to WHO, approximately 830 women die every day from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth, with maternal mortality higher in women living in rural areas and among poorer communities.
Almost all maternal deaths (99%) occur in developing countries. More than half of these deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa. The situation remains challenging for infants and newborns. While the total number of under-five deaths dropped to 5.6 million in 2016 from 12.6 million in 1990, 7,000 newborns still die every day, according to UNICEF.
In sub-Saharan Africa, approximately 1 child in 13 dies before his or her fifth birthday, while in the world’s high-income countries the ratio is 1 in 189.
One target under Sustainable Development Goal 3 is to reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100 000 births, with no country having a maternal mortality rate of more than twice the global average. To that end, skilled care before, during and after childbirth can save the lives of women and newborn babies according to WHO.
Amref Health Africa has a strong regional presence, working with over 100 poor and marginalized rural and urban slum communities as well as district health authorities and Ministries of Health and Education in Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda; pioneering experience in community based healthcare – emphasizing community ownership of projects and programs to encourage sustainability; and extensive experience in health development training targeted at a diverse range of health professionals from primary healthcare workers to field surgeons.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The decision of the management of SUNU Health Nigeria Limited to adopt the strategy of placing the enrollee and customer at the heart of its operations has started to pay off.
The company was recently announced as Most Customer-Focused Health Insurance Company of the Year at the Customer Service Standard Magazine Awards 2025.
The recognition underscored the company’s success in translating its dedication into tangible enrollee satisfaction and superior market service at the Nigerian Health Maintenance Organisation (HMO) landscape.
It also highlights the organisation’s dedicated efforts in streamlining claims processing, enhancing access to quality healthcare providers, and maintaining transparent, responsive communication channels with its diverse client base across Nigeria.
The accolade further serves as a powerful testament to the successful integration of digital solutions and human-centric service models at SUNU Health.
It positions the firm as a leader not only in providing robust health plans but also in delivering the supportive, personalized care that enrollees truly value.
“Clinching the Most Customer-Focused Health Insurance Company of the Year award is not just an honour; it is a validation of the core philosophy that drives every member of the SUNU Health team.
“We believe that healthcare is fundamentally a service industry, and our success is measured by the well-being and satisfaction of our enrollees,” the chief executive of SUNU Health, Mr Patrick Korie, commented.
“This award reinforces our resolve to continuously innovate and set new benchmarks for customer experience in the Nigerian health insurance sector.
“Our commitment to providing accessible, high-quality, and seamless healthcare solutions remains our top priority as we move into the new year (2026),” he added.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria has launched its first nationally representative survey on antimicrobial resistance to generate critical data to guide evidence-based policies, improve patient outcomes, and strengthen health system resilience.
Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites evolve to resist treatment, making infections harder to cure.
As a result, surveillance is essential to track resistance patterns, identify priority pathogens, and guide targeted interventions and with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) and other partners, the initiative marks a milestone in the country’s public health response.
Nigeria becomes the third country globally to partner with WHO on a national antimicrobial resistance survey. having been selected based on the country’s strong commitment to AMR surveillance, its updated WHO Nigeria NAP 2.0, and readiness to expand laboratory and data systems.
Africa’s most populous country ranks 20th globally for age-standardized mortality due to antimicrobial resistance . In 2019, an estimated 263,400 deaths in Nigeria were linked to it—more than the combined deaths from enteric infections, tuberculosis, respiratory infections, maternal and neonatal disorders, neglected tropical diseases, malaria, and cardiovascular diseases.
Globally, resistant infections in tertiary care settings cost between $2,371 and $29,289 per patient episode, extend hospital stays by an average of 7.4 days, and increase mortality risk by 84 per cent.
The survey will see the establishment of a national baseline on antimicrobial resistance prevalence to monitor interventions, assess the distribution, burden (morbidity, mortality, DALYs, cost), and diversity of AMR across regions and populations, as well as contribute to the global target of reducing AMR deaths by 10 per cent by 2030, in line with the political declaration endorsed at the 79th United Nations General Assembly in 2024.
It also seeks to strengthen routine antimicrobial resistance surveillance, including diagnostics, sample referral systems, and laboratory capacity.
Using WHO’s standardized methodology, the survey will run for 12–15 months and cover 40–45 randomly selected health facilities nationwide. Patients with suspected bloodstream infections (BSIs) will be identified using standard case definitions, and blood samples will be analysed in quality-assured laboratories.
Data will be collected across all age groups, covering clinical, demographic, laboratory, financial, and outcome indicators. Follow-up will occur at discharge, 28 days, and three months post-infection. The survey will sample approximately 35,000 patients suspected of BSIs to obtain around 800 isolates of the most common pathogens.
Dr Tochi Okwor, Acting Head, Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) said, “With WHO’s support, we are confident the survey will generate the evidence needed to protect public health.”
WHO Representative in Nigeria, Dr Pavel Ursu, reaffirmed WHO’s commitment stating that ,“Nigeria is taking a decisive step toward combating AMR with an approach grounded in data, science, and measurable impact. This survey will provide the clarity needed to drive smarter policies, stronger surveillance, and better patient outcomes. Nigeria is laying the foundations for a resilient health system, one that protects lives, strengthens trust, and ensures that essential medicines remain effective for future generations.”
Adding her input, Dr Laetitia Gahimbare, Technical Officer at WHO Regional Office for Africa, added:“Strengthening surveillance enhances Nigeria’s capacity to detect and respond to AMR threats, supporting better patient outcomes, reinforcing health security, and building a resilient system.”
Professor Babatunde Ogunbosi, Paediatric Infectious Diseases Specialist at University College Hospital, Ibadan, highlighted the broader impact:, “This survey is about more than data. It’s about building national capacity for research, diagnostics, and policy. It integrates science into public health decision-making.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
One of the leading Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) in Nigeria, SUNU Health, has said its philosophy is proactive wellness, noting that this was why it recently partnered with The Divine Physician and St. Luke Catholic Chaplaincy Centre for a community health initiative.
The chief executive of the company, Dr Patrick Korie, said, “SUNU Health’s vision extends far beyond merely offering health packages and insurance.”
“We are fundamentally interested in proactive wellness—preventing illness rather than just treating it. This annual exercise is a crucial part of that commitment, and we will continue to champion it for as long as we exist,” he stressed.
The medical practitioner led the company’s annual Health Walk in Lagos on Saturday, November 8, 2025. The event drew hundreds of health enthusiasts, including the Chaplain of the centre, Rev Fr. John Okoria SJ.
His active participation reinforced the spiritual and moral commitment to holistic well-being, proving crucial in mobilizing staff and community members, thereby ensuring the vital wellness message reached a broad and deeply engaged audience.
The health walk covered several major streets in Lagos, starting from Ishaga Road and navigating through Itire Road, Randle Avenue, Akerele, Ogunlana Drive, and Workers Street before concluding back at the starting point. Following the vigorous walk, participants engaged in a session of high-energy aerobics and other outdoor exercises, reinforcing the day’s focus on fitness.
“We are delighted to champion this vital health initiative alongside the Catholic Chaplaincy Centre LUTH/CMUL. The turnout was truly delightful, reflecting the community’s deep desire to embrace wellness.
“Collaborations like this amplify our message and commitment to the Nigerian community,” the Brand and Corporate Communications Lead at SUNU Health, Mr Samuel Olayemi, stated.
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