At the recent Medic West Africa Event, hosted by ABCHealth in partnership with Informa Markets, Access Bank took a significant step towards reshaping healthcare investment in Africa. The conference, under the theme “Healthcare Investments in Africa: Mobilizing the Private Sector to Drive Healthcare Investments,” gathered industry stakeholders to discuss the role of innovative financing models and strategic partnerships in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Ralph Opara, Group Head of Commercial Banking at Access Bank, emphasized the crucial role of the private sector in healthcare, stating, “The government can’t carry the burden of the health sector alone. It is imperative that the private sector explores and implements innovative financing models and strategic partnerships to bridge the healthcare investment gap.” He highlighted the need for public-private collaborations to enhance healthcare accessibility and ensure sustainable development across Africa.
Demonstrating its commitment, Access Bank, in collaboration with the Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria (PSHAN), has launched the Adopt-A-Health Facility Program (ADHFP). The initiative aims to establish at least one global standard Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) in each of Nigeria’s 774 Local Government Areas. To date, the program has successfully adopted over 180 PHCs nationwide, showcasing tangible progress in healthcare development.
The event also featured insights from other notable industry leaders including Mories Atoki, CEO of ABCHealth; Jane Ike-Okoli from Stanbic IBTC; Odunayo Sanyo of the MTN Foundation; Ibironke Akinmade from Sterling Bank; and Zouera Youssoufou, MD/CEO of the Aliko Dangote Foundation. These discussions focused on leveraging technology and enhancing community health initiatives to strengthen healthcare infrastructure across the continent.