The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening emergency and intensive care services across the country through sustainable healthcare financing, expanded health insurance coverage, improved infrastructure, workforce development and stronger collaboration among stakeholders….
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening emergency and intensive care services across the country through sustainable healthcare financing, expanded health insurance coverage, improved infrastructure, workforce development and stronger collaboration among stakeholders.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, made the commitment on Wednesday while declaring open the 11th Annual Scientific Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Intensive and Critical Care Society of Nigeria (I-CCSN) in Abuja.
This was disclosed in a statement by the Assistant Director, Information and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Ado Bako, on Wednesday, July 8.
The conference, themed “Sustainable Financing for Intensive Care in Public Hospitals in Nigeria,” brought together healthcare professionals, policymakers and other stakeholders to discuss strategies for improving critical care services.
Salako described the conference theme as timely, noting that sustainable financing remains vital to strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system and ensuring that critically ill patients receive life-saving care without being pushed into financial hardship.
“Sustainable financing remains one of the most critical requirements for strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system and ensuring that critically ill patients have access to quality, life-saving care without suffering catastrophic financial hardship,” he said.
According to the minister, critical illnesses arising from trauma, infectious diseases, maternal and neonatal complications, surgical emergencies, cardiovascular and neurological conditions, respiratory failure and other public health emergencies require a resilient health system capable of delivering quality intensive care.
He said the Federal Government recognises emergency and critical care as essential pillars for achieving Universal Health Coverage, improving health outcomes and strengthening national health security.
Salako acknowledged that intensive care delivery remains capital-intensive, requiring significant investment in specialised infrastructure, modern equipment, medical oxygen systems, skilled healthcare professionals, uninterrupted utilities, diagnostic services and quality assurance mechanisms.
He expressed concern over the country’s heavy reliance on out-of-pocket healthcare payments, warning that many families are driven into financial distress when faced with the cost of treating critical illnesses.
The minister disclosed that the National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System (NEMSAS), one of the Federal Government’s flagship emergency healthcare initiatives, has expanded from its pilot phase in the Federal Capital Territory to 34 states, with efforts ongoing to achieve nationwide coverage.
He added that government is implementing complementary interventions to strengthen maternal and newborn care, expand healthcare financing and improve overall healthcare delivery, stressing that such efforts must be integrated with ambulance services, intensive care units, operating theatres, medical oxygen systems, rehabilitation services and health insurance schemes.
Salako called for stronger collaboration among the Federal Government, state governments, healthcare institutions, professional bodies, academic and research institutions, development partners, civil society organisations and the private sector.
“Both sectors serve the same Nigerian population and must work together to improve healthcare delivery,” he said while advocating greater public-private collaboration.
The minister also urged increased investment in developing specialised healthcare personnel, including physicians trained in intensive care medicine, critical care nurses, physiotherapists, pharmacists, biomedical engineers, technicians and other specialists through expanded training and continuous professional development.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to strengthening medical oxygen systems, recalling lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, and noted that Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) oxygen plants have already been installed in several health facilities nationwide.
Salako further advocated stronger referral systems, regional critical care networks, digital health technologies, tele-critical care services and improved health information systems to reduce inequalities in access to quality critical care.
He challenged participants at the conference to produce practical recommendations that would strengthen sustainable financing, financial risk protection, workforce expansion, equipment maintenance, referral systems and partnerships for critical care delivery across the country.
Earlier, Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Dr. Harrison Nwogu, said the conference would examine the causes of chronic underfunding of intensive care units and explore innovative financing options, including public-private partnerships, insurance integration and diaspora investments.
Also speaking, Chairman of the occasion and Chief Medical Director of Zenith Medical and Kidney Centre, Abuja, Dr. Olalekan Olutesi, said healthcare delivery cannot be funded solely by government.
He called on wealthy Nigerians to invest in the health sector and urged the government to introduce tax incentives to encourage private investment.
Delivering the keynote address, Professor Daprim Samuel Tamuno-Ojuemi Ogaji said discussions would focus on developing a sustainable financing model that guarantees access to intensive care without financial barriers.
He identified inadequate infrastructure, equipment, consumables and unstable power supply as major obstacles to effective intensive and critical care services in Nigeria.
Speaking on behalf of the Emir of Tula, the Emir of Wase, Alhaji Dr. Muhammadu Sambo Haruna, commended the Intensive and Critical Care Society of Nigeria for convening the conference, describing critical care as a matter of “humanity, equity and national development” that affects every community across the country.
The conference continues with technical sessions aimed at developing policy recommendations to improve financing and access to intensive care services in Nigeria.
