Health
Omose Tasks Governments to Adopt Innovative Primary Healthcare Delivery Model
By Dipo Olowookere
African governments have been charged to adopt “a more innovative model of primary health delivery with grassroots-focused universal health coverage structure that is customised to suit the peculiarities” of the continent.
This advice was given by the Chairman and chief executive of Elkris Group, Dr Elliott Scott Omose, during a media chat with newsmen over the weekend.
The healthcare practitioner, who described primary healthcare in Africa as non-existent, said the continent has the capacity to deliver quality service to its citizens.
Mr Omose is also the founder of PreDiagnosis International, an innovative public healthcare management non-profit organisation with footholds in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Gambia and a few other African countries.
He pointed out that public healthcare management in most African countries remained poor and ineffective due to the faulty service delivery model and structure that governments and decision-makers adopt.
He emphasised that if the poor and vulnerable population on the continent are enjoying public healthcare, the current structural loophole with universal health coverage in Africa with the glaring absence of Basic, Accessible and Affordable (BAA) healthcare at the primary level must be fixed.
“The United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage in 2019 strongly restated that health is a precondition, outcome and indicator for social, economic and environmental dimensions of UN’s 2030 sustainable development goal,” he reminded African leaders.
“In Africa today, primary healthcare is non-existent as soon as you start to move away from the capital cities because research across the continent reveals an unhealthy pattern whereby pharmacies and local drug stores have been adopted as grassroots (primary) healthcare point by close to 70% of the vulnerable population in the continent.
“In rural Africa, a patient may never get to see or sit before a doctor more than five times in his or her lifetime. And that is usually a result of some intervention outreach by an NGO. For the rest of their lives, they are left at the mercy of pharmacy attendants and quacks as the only alternative to a GP,” he noted.
Continuing, Mr Omose also stated that, “Across the continent, the general hospitals and teaching hospitals are continually overwhelmed because most of the available qualified doctors are concentrated in urban cities and towns while the rural areas have next to nothing, thereby leaving room for self-medication and also for quacks and other unqualified hands to tend citizens’ health needs in the rural, hard to reach areas.
“So, most public health centres, especially in rural areas, rot away due to lack of capable personnel to man them.
“Moreover, before the vulnerable class make it to those facilities because of the huge infrastructure deficit, the majority of their cases are already beyond help.”
“There is an urgent need to embrace a more innovative model of primary health delivery with grassroots-focused universal health coverage structure that is customized to suit the peculiarities of the African terrain.
“Only this way can we begin to show seriousness in the attempt to try to bridge the terribly widening gap between the teaming vulnerable population and access to affordable basic (primary) healthcare,” he stated.
Restating his readiness to assist, Dr Omose submitted that PDI has developed and put to work a workable model for essential health services which offers subsidized, affordable and accessible basic universal health coverage for rural and hard-to-reach areas of Africa.
“As part of our contributions to help our continent overcome this unacceptable situation we find ourselves currently, in 2020, we introduced, in Nigeria, the PDI Basic Universal Healthcare model, which has the PDI 25-point Early Detection System as its strategic core.
“Early this year, we also introduced in Sierra Leone the PDI blue-print for a nationwide Basic (Primary) Healthcare Initiative which goes under the name of Community Basic (Primary) Healthcare Clinic– CBHC.
“For the first time, the PDI Basic Universal Healthcare Model guarantees that the vulnerable African population can have full access to proper one-on-one doctor consultation services by way of a hybrid platform that ensures doctor’s appointment, twenty-four-seven doctor hotline, community mobile clinic, community health hub, free prescription services and other services all year round, twenty-four-seven, all for less than $15 a month, which is less than 30 per cent of the actual cost for the concierge personal health management services.
“We are, therefore, showing that with considerably very little financial outlay, Africa could do a lot more in managing the day-to-day personal basic healthcare needs of the vulnerable population,” he submitted.
Nigeria’s leading insurance company, AXA Mansard Insurance Plc, has announced the release of the AXA Mind Health Report 2025. This comprehensive study underscores the critical importance of mental health in the workplace and among young people.
According to Omowunmi Mabel Adewusi, General Counsel and Human Resource Director of AXA Mansard, the Mind Health Report is part of AXA’s ongoing commitment to promoting positive mental well-being and reducing stigma through holistic approaches.
She said, “The state of mind health in the world continues to give cause for concern, with a lot of people currently experiencing a mental health condition. This fifth edition of the report shows a worrying trend among our youth.
“We also observe an interesting trend in the workplace that reveals work impacts employees’ mental health either as a source of support or a source of issues.”
The AXA Mind Health Report 2025 reveals significant insights into the mental health landscape, highlighting the challenges that young adults and employees face.
According to the report, 44% of young adults (18-24) currently suffer from mental health conditions, with excessive use of social media and financial instability being major contributing factors.
Additionally, work-related stress, including excessive workload, tight deadlines, and a lack of work-life balance, remains a significant concern for employees.
Adewusi further emphasized the importance of prioritizing mental health in the workplace, explaining that mental health is a crucial aspect of overall well-being. Organizations must implement policies that support their employees.
“For us at AXA, this realization is at the heart of our We Care Programme, which affords our employees benefits such as flexible working hours, access to professional counselling services, monthly health workshops, a supportive work environment, menstrual, extended paternity, and caregiver leave benefits.
“The findings of the AXA Mind Health Report 2025 highlight the urgent need for proactive measures to address mental health issues in the workplace and among the youth. We are calling on business leaders, government agencies, and other stakeholders to foster a wellness culture that promotes positive mental health and supports individuals in reaching their full potential.”
The 2025 study, conducted in collaboration with IPSOS, aims to identify mental health and wellness issues in global society to build solutions to mitigate them. A total of 17,000 respondents from 16 countries participated in the survey.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The entry grade level for nurses in the Oyo State civil service with university degree has been reviewed, the Provost of the Oyo State College of Nursing Sciences, Ibadan, Dr Gbonjubola Owolabi, has revealed.
The review was done by the state government through the Oyo State Civil Service Commission.
Recall that the National Council of Establishment (NCE) at its 43rd meeting in 2022 approved the placement of university graduate nurses on grade level 10.
At a meeting with 21 Nursing Tutors on Wednesday in Ibadan, Dr Owolabi said the state government has moved the category of nurses from grade 8, charging nursing tutors of the institution to be diligent in their duties and imbibe integrity and quality.
“The institution is out to train nursing and health practitioners and churn out quality manpower who can function effectively in community, primary, secondary, tertiary, and industrial health settings.
“I urge you to key into this vision, even as the present administration will not deprive you of your rights,” the provost stated.
Dr Owolabi, who said that the Oyo State government placed priority on integrity and quality, disclosed that “the institution has received necessary accreditations from the regulatory bodies for some courses.”
She lauded Governor Seyi Makinde for approving the promotion of the 21 tutors, saying such a gesture should be reciprocated with dedication to service.
In her vote of thanks, one of the lecturers, Mrs Abiola Elizabeth, lauded the management of the institution, saying the approval from the civil service had further accentuated the priority placed on the health sector by Oyo State government.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The government of Burundi has taken a critical step towards reducing malaria cases and saving thousands of children’s lives with the introduction of the malaria vaccine into its routine immunization programme.
This followed the arrival of 544,000 doses of malaria vaccines in Burundi in January and the approval of the RTS,S malaria vaccine by ABREMA (Autorité Burundaise de Régulation des Médicaments à usage humain et des Aliments).
The inclusion of the vaccine was made possible with the collaborations of the Ministry of Health, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), and Dalberg.
At a ceremony on Monday to announce this development, the First Lady of Burundi, Mrs Angeline Ndayishimiye, commended the organisations for supporting her husband’s government to fight malaria in the country.
Malaria remains a major public health concern in Burundi and one of the country’s top health priorities. Malaria is endemic, with two annual peaks (April-May and June) resulting in high transmission levels in some districts.
The latest data from the National Health Information System (SNIS) showed that malaria remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality, with an incidence of 399.1 per 1,000 inhabitants in 2023.
Data analysis revealed that malaria accounted for 20.9 per cent of consultations in 2023 and 59.4 per cent of hospital deaths in 2021.
In Burundi, children under the age of five are the population category most vulnerable to malaria. Of the 4,857,556 malaria cases reported in 2023, children under five accounted for 2,235,481 cases, representing 46 per cent of malaria morbidity.
For this reason, as a key partner, UNICEF is committed to ensuring that every child, especially the most vulnerable, has access to this critical vaccine, alongside other essential health services, to give them a healthier start in life.
“Today marks a significant milestone as we introduce the malaria vaccine in Burundi. This initiative reflects our strong and unwavering commitment to malaria control by combining high-impact strategic interventions and our collective determination to protect our children’s lives.
“By focusing on reducing malaria mortality in children under five, we are taking a critical step towards ensuring a healthier and brighter future for the next generation. This vaccine introduction also brings us closer to a future where no child is lost to this preventable disease. We are paving the way for a malaria-free Burundi,” said Dr Lydwine Baradahana, Minister of Public Health and AIDS Prevention.
“Today, Burundi joins the list of 17 other countries on the African continent to have introduced malaria vaccine into routine immunization with Gavi support.
“Given the devastating impact of malaria, this is a development that will save thousands of young lives, offer relief to families and lessen the burden currently placed on the country’s health system,” the Senior Country Manager for Burundi at Gavi, Mario Jimenez, stated.
UNICEF Representative in Burundi, France Bégin, said, “Every child has the right to grow up healthy and protected from preventable diseases like malaria. The introduction of the malaria vaccine is a historic step, bringing new hope to families in Burundi.”
WHO representative in Burundi, Dr Xavier Crespin, remarked that, “Malaria is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Burundi, especially among children.
“With the measures already taken by the government such as Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine chemoprevention, the distribution of impregnated mosquito nets and indoor spraying, and now the introduction of malaria vaccination in children aged 6 to 18 months as recommended by the WHO,
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