Kuni Tyessi in Abuja
The Nigeria Implementation Science Alliance (NISA) has tasked the federal government on policy implementation towards improved healthcare delivery in the country.
The Chairman, NISA Board of Trustees, Prof. Echezona Ezeanolue stated this at the fifth NISA Conference with the theme “Achieving impact through Implementation Research’ in Abuja recently.
He said health organisations and government agencies need to share information on research and bridge the gap between research and practice.
The chairman, who is also the Vice President, Healthy Sunrise Foundation, said the conference was aimed at solving problems including those concerning healthcare in the country.
He said “We are looking for a solution through implementation research. We can implement the things we already know can work.
“The NISA conference brings together policymakers, implementing partners, health organisations and government agencies to share research and bridge the gap between research and practice.”
He added that the overall goal of the conference is health for all Nigerians, quality policy and health decisions based on evidence from researches.
“It is an opportunity for researchers to share research work done, to rub minds, to mentor and be mentored, to discuss public health issues and possible solutions to them,” he added.
Also speaking to newsmen, NISA board member, Professor of Community Medicine, University of Nigeria, Nsuka (UNN), Prof. Chima Onoka, blamed the country’s poor health status on lack of policy implementation and poor finding for research.
He urged government to invest in research, saying “the health polices we have are percentage of the government budget that should go for research but that does not translate to real action because government budgets are usually not enough in terms of release.”
