Advancing investments in Nigeria’s health sector
• Group led by Pharmaccess Foundation embarks on fact- finding mission, travels to the Netherlands
THE Consulate of the Kingdom of Netherlands, in collaboration with Pharmaccess Foundation, the implementing partner for the Government of the Netherlands health- related activities, organised a three- day fact- finding mission to the Netherlands in October. The delegation included private sector healthcare providers, financial investors and public sector officials. The Government of the Netherlands is seeking to support the Government of Nigeria in strengthening its healthcare systems, in line with its “Trade and Aid” policies.
Consul General of the Netherlands in Lagos and Economic Policy Adviser & Business Developer, Michel Deelen; and Organisation Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Sonia Odije, in a statement, said this was the first health mission organised by the Consulate and it brought together leaders to meet and interact with Dutch health entrepreneurs, with a view to foster investments in the Nigerian health sector and to transfer capacity, expertise and best practices. The fact- finding mission kicked off with welcome remarks from Marc Hasselaar, the Director International Entrepreneurship at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as he provided insights into the drafting of a new global health strategy.
As world economies become more globalised, individual countries are proposing new guidelines to strengthen national and global health security. The Government of the Netherlands, as part of its global development goals has established a policy directive to structure the support it provides to the healthcare sector, globally to ensure that its global health efforts are more strategic.
The recently published Dutch Global Health Strategy 20232030: “Working together for health worldwide” aims to contribute in a coordinated and targeted way to improving public health around the world.
Deputy Consul General of the Netherlands in Lagos, Leonie Van der Stijl, who joined the fact- finding mission, said this on the international healthcare outlook: “Healthcare challenges have become increasingly global, multidimensional and complex. The Dutch Global Health Strategy focuses on strengthening global health architecture and systems, especially for primary care and sexual and reproductive healthcare and rights. As Africa’s biggest economy, the state of affairs in Nigeria often reflects issues and opportunities that exist across the continent. That is why this mission is so important.”
Pharmacces Nigeria shared findings from the Nigeria Health Sector Market Study. The objectives of the study include providing deeper insights into the opportunities in Nigeria’s health sector and to position Dutch firms as Nigeria’s innovative partners for Life- Science- Health ( LSH) opportunities. Commenting on the report, Managing Partner and CEO of FIT Consult Limited, Loretta Aniagolu, said: “The study provided by Pharmaccess Foundation was very useful in validating our own studies, particularly the breakdown of the expenditure of each state on overseas and private healthcare treatment.” The report is scheduled to be disseminated in December 2022 and it will provide deeper insights into the market entry strategies for Dutch companies looking to leverage investment opportunities in Nigeria’s health sector.
The delegation went on site visits to Original Equipment Manufacturers ( OEMS). Delft Imaging Systems, established in 1925 has a long history of developing innovative imaging solutions that improve the quality of people’s lives. Guido Geerts, the Chief Executive Officer of Delft Imaging brought the delegates up to speed on some of the innovative solutions they had developed using digital x- rays and CAD4TB to improve TB screening, especially in hard- to- reach areas. According to the World Health Organization ( WHO), around 245,000 Nigerians die from tuberculosis ( TB) and about 590,000 new cases occur every year.
At the Philips Innovation Centre in Eindhoven, the latest consumer healthcare products were showcased and the Nigerian delegation took part in live demonstrations of some of the medical equipment. Philips has been developing innovative healthcare solutions across the continuum of care, from health living, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and homecare. “We saw how easy it is to deploy technologies that will guarantee our nation’s health in future. This is not limited to equipment, we also have innovative software and financing solutions that address our current needs in Nigeria” said Edward Mwingi, Philips Indirect Channel Manager, West Africa
Functional healthcare systems cannot operate in isolation and to deliver the maximum benefit, they need to work effectively as part of a wider ecosystem that includes a well- trained workforce, funding to pay for health services, diagnostics and therapeutics. During the visit to Invest International, which has a shareholding that includes the Dutch Ministry of Finance ( 51 per cent) and FMO ( 49 per cent), a triple- A bank, they delegation learned how the organisation supports in making investments feasible for Dutch solutions that address global challenges.