The central, transformative promise of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 Agenda is “Leave no one behind (LNOB)”.
What this means from a broader perspective is that equity should always be at the centre of national and international policy agendas. Across the fields of healthcare, however, the promise implies that anyone anywhere should have access to the highest standards of health and health care, not just the wealthiest.
The reason for this is simple – health is fundamental to both human and community development. It is therefore not surprising that goal 3 of the SDG aspires to ensure health and well-being for all. The goal addresses all major health priorities: reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health. It also covers communicable and non-communicable diseases; universal health coverage; and access for all to safe, effective, quality, and affordable medicines and vaccines.
Considering the important role that healthcare plays in sustaining societies, how can practitioners help to achieve this goal significantly? The answer lies in the readiness of healthcare professionals to reshape the landscape of health equity over the next decade, by expanding their roles, embracing relevant collaborations, and leveraging technology.
Global Health Crises and The Nigerian Healthcare Landscape
The world is facing a global health crisis. Recurring epidemics alongside dwindling financial power of local health institutions are taking a toll on health systems, resulting in lower standards of care.
According to the World Health Organization’s latest comprehensive set of World Health Statistics for 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted health systems worldwide, in some cases severely curtailing access to vital services. These disruptions, the report says, are likely to set back global progress on both life expectancy and healthy life expectancy made in the first 20 years of the century.
Financial protection has worsened globally and a lot more people are unable to access care at all because they cannot afford it. In Nigeria, the reality is a sad picture of poverty amidst plenty. The country’s gross domestic product is the largest in Africa, yet per capita income is low with a highly inequitable distribution of income, wealth, and health. About 40% of Nigerians live in poverty and thereby within social conditions that result in ill health and restricted access to good healthcare.
Compared with countries of similar income levels in Africa, Nigeria’s population’s health outcomes are poor and national statistics show a huge disparity between the rich and poor, urban and rural populations, and different regions.
Even more challenging is the impact of infrequent collaborative interprofessional communication on patient experience. Lack of knowledge and appreciation of the roles of other health professionals, barriers at team levels, and lack of clearly stated, shared, and measurable purpose are some of the factors hindering Interprofessional collaboration in the Nigerian healthcare sector.
Advancing Interprofessional Communication for Better Patients Outcomes
Regardless of prevailing realities, the central aim of healthcare will continue to centre on the delivery of high-quality, patient-centred service that addresses the expectations of its service users. The healthcare industry itself is a complex system of multidisciplinary professionals constrained to work together to achieve the collective goal of good patient health, safety and wellbeing.
It is against this backdrop that the World Health Organization is placing a great premium on the need for interprofessional education as a strategy for achieving world health goals.
To this end, medical doctors, nurses, laboratory scientists, radiologic diagnosticians, physiotherapists, pharmacists, medical records personnel, dieticians, and health economists among many other categories, would need to create stronger synergies, toward delivering better patient outcomes.
Medic West Africa Encouraging Strategic Collaborations
Committed to transforming the healthcare infrastructure within the region, this September, the Medic West Africa Exhibition and Conference are connecting leading players across the healthcare sector to a solid platform for strategic collaborations and knowledge sharing.
Between September 7-9, at the Landmark Centre, Lagos, stakeholders across the sector will be brought together to explore the latest technological advancement in healthcare equipment and solutions. It will serve as a one-stop shop for all healthcare sourcing and procurement needs in the region, featuring leading local and international industry players as scheduled exhibitors and hosting several interactive sessions.
With over 150 exhibiting companies representing 32 countries and an expected 5000+ attendees, Medic West Africa offers an exceptional networking and business hub for key parties in the healthcare ecosystem, whilst driving discourse on key challenges affecting our regional healthcare systems to unearth sustainable solutions.
Altogether, the event presents a valuable opportunity to connect medical professionals, government officials, and key stakeholders with leading commercial entities to deliver solutions to critical issues and challenges facing the healthcare industry in West Africa.
