Uduaghan seeks PPP in health sector

The Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, has called for public-private partnership in the Nigerian health sector to ensure improved service delivery.
Besides, Uduaghan has promised that the Delta State Government will subsidize renal dialysis for Deltans.
The governor, who made the call for partnership at the Day 3 of the 1st National Health Summit in Asaba, the Delta State capital, said that government was taking this step as there was a huge gap between the needs of the people and services provided in the health sector.
He said there was the need for public-private partnership in the health sector to bridge such gaps and boost healthcare delivery in the country.
“I am fully in support of public-private partnership in the hospitals because that is the only way to improve on the services,” the governor said.
He disclosed that his administration has welcomed public-private partnership as it concerns specific units at the Delta State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara.
He said that a South African firm, Zenon, will eventually take over the laboratory at the Teaching Hospital, Oghara, while a Texas, United States of America-based firm would take over the dialysis unit of the hospital.
He added: “In Delta State, we are committed to building a state beyond oil, especially through health tourism.
“So, we are partnering with Texas University and Zenon in South Africa to help handle our laboratory and dialysis departments at our Teaching Hospital.
“In another 14 to 16 months, we will be able to carry out renal transplants in the hospital.”
The governor announced that the state government will subsidize renal dialysis for Deltans to make it cheaper and affordable.
He explained that government was subsidizing it because most patients with renal problems do not have resources to take dialysis up to two times a week.
Uduaghan regretted that because most patients do not subject themselves to dialysis treatment as prescribed, they oftentimes lose their lives unexpectedly.
His words: “We have approved that the state will pay part of the dialysis fees for patients with renal problems to reduce cost and enable them live longer.
“Some patients are placed on dialysis three times a week but because they cannot afford it, they do it once.
“This usually leads to their death.”
He therefore promised to sustain the new initiative to help the patients, adding that this informed the decision to welcome public-private partnership in the health sector.
Uduaghan, who promised to update facilities in government hospitals, gave assurance to Deltans that when completed, there would be no need for Nigerians to travel abroad for treatment.
He emphasized that the intention of his administration was to check the wastage of foreign reserve in medical treatment abroad as such funds could be rechanneled to the development of the nation.
Speaking further, he said that the Nigeria has well qualified medical doctors and promised to work hard to fill the gap and ensure that their potentials were not frustrated through lack of sophisticated equipments.
Presenting a paper titled “Building a sustainable reputation for NMA”, a renowned scholar, Dr. Andy Iheme, said that NMA has a reputation issue to tackle and should therefore do what he called “image laundry”.
Iheme specifically enjoined NMA to promote goodwill and establish rapport among its members and refrain from acts capable of creating disharmony between its members and paramedical staff, as well as between doctors and patients.