The Healthcare Federation of Nigeria (HFN) has called on the Federal Government to deepen collaboration with the private sector in the management of primary healthcare centres (PHCs), saying the move is essential to tackling Nigeria’s persistently high maternal mortality rate.

The federation believes increased private-sector involvement would improve the efficiency and performance of PHCs, strengthening maternal healthcare services across the country.

Speaking while being honoured as one of the extraordinary women advancing healthcare, HFN President, Njide Ndili, said the government must maintain its commitment to improving maternal health, warning that Nigeria continues to carry one of the world’s heaviest maternal mortality burdens.

According to available figures, Nigeria accounts for 34 per cent of global maternal deaths, while the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2018 placed the country’s maternal mortality rate at 512 deaths per 100,000 live births.

Highlighting the urgency of the challenge, Ndili said: “I think what the government needs to do and, in fact, they’re already doing some of it—is to continue focusing on maternal mortality and women’s health.

“As you know, Nigeria has one of the worst maternal mortality indices in the world. In fact, I think we’re number two globally. The statistics show that a woman dies every seven minutes while giving birth. We need to change that,” she said.

Ndili acknowledged that the Federal Government has already initiated measures to strengthen primary healthcare centres but maintained that additional reforms are necessary to achieve lasting improvements.

She argued that the private sector should play a greater role in managing and enhancing the performance of PHCs nationwide.

“I know the government is already trying to address this by improving primary healthcare centres. From our side, we’re advocating public-private partnerships in those primary healthcare centres so they can be better managed.”

Ndili, who also serves as the Country Director of PharmaAccess, said expanding collaboration between government institutions and private organisations would lead to improved healthcare outcomes for women and the broader population.

She added: “I think the government is already doing a lot, but we need to continue pushing for greater private-sector involvement because the government cannot do it alone. I always advocate public-private partnerships.

“Government cannot do it alone. The more we bring in the private sector to support efficiency, transparency, technology, and capacity building, the more everyone benefits. Once a woman is well taken care of, the whole nation benefits. So, it’s important that we continue to advance women.”

Ndili also urged Nigeria to strengthen its domestic healthcare capacity in response to declining international donor support, stressing the importance of becoming more self-reliant in delivering healthcare services.

She said:

“Now that foreign aid has declined, we have to look inward and make the best use of the resources and people we already have. That is what we refer to as health sovereignty.

“Health sovereignty means producing the healthcare solutions you need within your own borders. That’s where we need to be.”

Source: Punch News