Health
French Ambassador Visits Maamobi General Hospital in Ghana
By Dipo Olowookere
A delegation led by the French Ambassador to Ghana, Mr François Pujolas, visited the Maamobi General Hospital where a medical research program sponsored by France is being undertaken for the preventive treatment of malaria in pregnant women
Ghana is one of many countries benefitting from the “5% initiative” that was launched by France at the end of 2011, as an indirect contribution to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
The 5% initiative is a program through which the French government dedicates an amount equivalent to 5% of its national contribution to the Global Fund to supporting grants that have been disbursed by the Fund.
The project at the Maamobi hospital is therefore only one of the fruits of this initiative which has contributed €268,000 for the implementation and evaluation of a preventive treatment of malaria in pregnant women.
In 2013, the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended a modified sulfadoxine-based treatment and Ghana was one of the first countries in which this treatment was experimented.
The French Institute of Research and Development (IRD) thus proposed to work together with the Noguchi Institute of the University of Ghana and the School of Public Health, in order to evaluate the implementation of these new WHO recommendations on preventive chemotherapy against malaria during pregnancy.
A test campaign is underway at the Maamobi hospital. The visit of the ambassador was therefore symbolic of France’s continuous support towards the project.
The delegation was welcomed by the hospital authorities including the Medical director, Dr. Dorcas Anfu-Okine and the Head of Department, Dr. Emmanuel Ameh. A presentation on the intermittent preventive treatment (IPT) program was made by Prof. Quakyi and Dr. Nicaise Ndam, the senior research officer at the IRD in Ghana, after which a presentation of the impact of the project on the Maamobi hospital was given by Dr. Anfu-Okine. Representatives from the Ghana Health Service were also present to give their perspective of the project’s impact on malaria prevention in Ghana.
The Ambassador, in his speech, touched on the relevance of the Global Fund, especially to Africa. He brought to light the fact that the Global Fund has made treatment and prevention a reality for millions of people. To date, the Fund has disbursed over $4 billion per year to over 100 countries. France contributed to its creation and still contributes (€360 million representing 12 % of the multilateral fund), in order to fight against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. “France is the second contributor of that global fund in order to fight the 3 main diseases.”
In Africa and here in Ghana rates of HIV transmission have declined significantly in almost every region, including the hardest-hit countries. Mortality rates are also declining now that treatment is available. In fact, mortality due to tuberculosis has fallen by over a third since the 1990s. Regarding Malaria, and the specific project presented on that day, he encouraged the researchers and pledged the full assistance of France to help achieve the ultimate goal of developing a vaccine for pregnant women. He also stated that “very soon an official report will be submitted to the World Health Organization and to the Government of Ghana.”
More generally His Excellency underlined the strength of the cooperation between France and Ghana. He said that “this project is at the core of French Diplomacy in Ghana. Diplomacy is about creating a most prosperous world for everybody in every country. But it is not only done through security and stability but also through the wellbeing of individuals”.
There was then a tour of the facility during which the French delegation were shown the maternity wards, paediatric wards and the laboratories. The hospital heads took the opportunity to express their appreciation for the financial and technical aid that the French embassy had provided.
France has been a leader in this international partnership; as the top European donor and the second highest donor worldwide, her annual contribution of which brings more than 6 million US dollars to Ghana (out of a total of 50 million going to Ghana).
By Adedapo Adesanya
The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) says the number of Nigerians enrolled in health insurance has risen to more than 22 million.
The Director-General of NHIA, Mr Kelechi Ohiri, said this resulted from the implementation of the mandatory health insurance, which has gained momentum nationwide.
He said this on Wednesday at the Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Association of Insurance and Pension Editors (NAIPE) in Lagos.
Mr Ohiri said enrolment had increased to 22.03 million, representing a 35 per cent year-on-year growth, attributing this to stronger collaboration with state social health insurance agencies, ministries, departments and agencies, organised labour, employers, the private sector, and the gradual implementation of the mandatory health insurance provisions of the NHIA Act.
He said that the country had moved beyond policy formulation to delivering measurable improvements in healthcare access, service quality and consumer protection in line with the federal government’s health sector reform agenda.
According to him, Nigeria already has the necessary policies and legislation to achieve Universal Health Coverage, positing that the key challenge was effective implementation.
“The decisive variable is now implementation- consistent, rigorous and accountable execution that converts political commitment into healthcare access for real Nigerians,” he said.
Mr Ohiri said that the transition from the former National Health Insurance Scheme to the NHIA had strengthened regulation, consumer protection, accountability and strategic purchasing, while providing the legal and operational framework for achieving Universal Health Coverage.
He added that improving the experience of enrollees remained central to the Authority’s reform agenda.
According to him, NHIA has strengthened its complaints management system, introduced faster resolution timelines, and intensified compliance monitoring of Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) and healthcare providers.
He further added that NHIA had sanctioned facilities that failed to meet the required standards, adding that his organisation had resolved 3,878 complaints, representing an 87 per cent resolution rate, while 95 per cent of the cases were concluded within prescribed timelines.
Mr Ohiri noted that more than N14.2 million had been refunded to enrollees, while non-compliant healthcare facilities had been sanctioned.
He said NHIA had also introduced service standards, including a one-hour treatment commencement target for enrollees requiring urgent care, to improve access to timely and quality healthcare services.
The NHIA boss further disclosed that capitation payments to healthcare providers had been increased by 93 per cent.
He said fee-for-service reimbursements rose by 378 per cent to enable providers to invest more in personnel, equipment and infrastructure.
According to him, 7,592 healthcare facilities have been assessed under the SafeCare quality framework as part of efforts to institutionalise continuous quality improvement across the country.
Mr Ohiri also highlighted interventions targeted at vulnerable groups, including support for more than 48,500 pregnant women, expanded maternal and newborn healthcare services, the Vulnerable Group Fund, and improved access to healthcare for pensioners and retirees.
He said Universal Health Coverage could only be achieved if every Nigerian, regardless of income or location, had access to quality healthcare services.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The new one-hour authorisation response time ultimatum policy introduced by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has received the full backing of SUNU Health Nigeria Limited.
This policy was introduced by the agency to ensure enrollees get prompt approval codes to access care.
Healthcare service providers have been urged to report any Health Maintenance Organisation (HMO) that violates this initiative through an email, with the HMO in copy and a timestamp attached as evidence of the request. They may proceed to offer services to enrollees thereafter.
Speaking at the company’s second-quarter Providers’ Forum for the Lagos-Ogun region in Lagos recently, the chief executive of SUNU Health, Dr Moyosore Olomola, expressed optimism that this policy would improve healthcare delivery in the country, especially for enrollees, who crave quality service.
At the event themed Improving Quality and Access to Care Through Stronger Provider Network, and held at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) in Yaba, Lagos, Mr Olomola reaffirmed the HMO’s commitment to operating within legal and operational frameworks to guarantee adequate care for enrollees.
“Access to care and quality of care remain key priorities in our healthcare systems. We know quite well that deliberate collaboration, strategic partnerships, and a shared commitment to excellence are required to achieve these priorities.
“A strong provider network is doubtless the backbone of any effective healthcare system. It ensures that our mutual enrollees receive the right care, at the right time, in the right place, and at the right price,” Mr Olomola, represented at the programme by the organisation’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), Dr Faith Nwachi, stated.
He further assured that SUNU Health would strictly adhere to the one-hour authorisation limit, stressing that this aligns seamlessly with one of the organisation’s core values—promptness and its corporate slogan, Humanity is the centre of our initiatives.
In a bid to further improve access and quality of care, SUNU Health also demonstrated its new operational software and Mobile app, aptly named SUNU Legacy.
Also speaking at the event, the NHIA Lagos State Coordinator (Ikeja), Dr Bethuel-Kasimu Abraham, noted that the forum’s expected outcome is to significantly reduce delays in accessing medical care.
Other key expectations include ensuring continuity of care, improving patient outcomes, and strengthening accountability among HMOs.
Addressing specific pain points faced by enrollees, the NHIA Ogun State Coordinator, Mr Dare Adefeso, acknowledged that the agency had received complaints regarding out-of-stock drugs and the discrimination of enrollees by certain providers.
He affirmed that the NHIA is actively addressing these issues, stressing that moving forward, every facility must ensure enrollees are properly catered to regardless of their status, provided they have an active health insurance plan.
Corroborating the long-standing legacy of SUNU Health, the Ogun State Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mrs Aishat Tiamiyu, shared that her agency is responsible for public information dissemination and has been enrolled with SUNU Health for over 25 years.
Commending the HMO’s stellar service over two decades, she called for the immediate enrollment of new NOA staff into the scheme.
The Providers’ Forum remains one of the strategic channels employed by SUNU Health to consistently engage healthcare providers, understand their operational challenges, introduce new software updates, and solidify partnerships aimed at fostering premium healthcare delivery across Nigeria.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has announced the recall of a sexual enhancement product known as WAP Sensual Enhancement Capsules.
In a statement on Monday, the Nigerian agency disclosed that the recall is due to “undeclared pharmaceutical ingredients” in the product, whose country of origin is unknown, but is marketed and distributed online in the US through eBay.
It was emphasised that the recall is being “voluntarily” made by the manufacturer, Best Supplements Best Prices Company.
The detection of the undeclared pharmaceutical ingredients was made by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Laboratory analysis by the US FDA revealed that the product contained undeclared sildenafil, tadalafil, and flibanserin, which were not mentioned on the product label. Such substances may include phosphodiesterase type-5 (PDE-5) inhibitors or related compounds commonly used for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, the statement by NAFDAC stated.
Sildenafil and tadalafil are ingredients in FDA-approved prescription drugs used to treat erectile dysfunction.
It was noted that these undeclared ingredients may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs, such as nitroglycerin, and may lower blood pressure to dangerous levels. Consumers with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart disease often take nitrates.
Flibanserin is the active ingredient in an FDA-approved prescription drug used to treat low sexual desire in women. Flibanserin can cause drowsiness, sedation, dangerously low blood pressure, and fainting, especially when combined with alcohol.
Consumers have been encouraged to report compromised products (medicines or medical devices) to the nearest NAFDAC office, call 0800-162-3322, or send an email to sf******@********ov.ng.
