Nigeria Health Watch to host 8th Future of Health Conference

Nigeria Health Watch, a Non-governmental organistion said it would host the 8th edition of the Future of Health Conference in Abuja on October 13.

The theme of the conference is “The Political Economy of Health: Investing in the Future of Nigeria.”

This is contained in a statement by Communications Manager, Ms Uche Nwagboso,  Nigeria Health Watch on Thursday in Abuja.

She said the conference would provide a visible platform for critical stakeholders in healthcare, finance, politics, and other allied sectors.

The Spokesperson said participants would also discuss the factors influencing Nigeria’s health policies; how political, social, and economic factors shape individual and population health outcome.

She said the discus would also influence how to create a national health service that meets the needs of all Nigerians.

Nwagboso said that the discourse would also ensure that health issue took prominence alongside economy, security, and other priority issues in the political discourse.

“The politicising of health has seen the increased involvement of political leaders in health affairs and has revealed the need for greater political will and commitment to drive lasting changes in the nation’s health agenda.

“Ultimately, we need to push health up the political agenda if we are to make any meaningful progress toward achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC),” she said.

She quoted the Managing Director, Nigeria Health Watch,  Mrs Vivianne Ihekweazu, saying that “the recent pandemic exposed how fragile our health sector is.

“We need to create an avenue for discourse to ensure that our leaders and policy makers prioritise healthcare as a critical investment and catalyst for economic growth,”she said.

Ihekweazu added that continuous advocacy was essential for the development and implementation of policies effecting positive change, growth, and development in Nigeria’s healthcare system.

“The objectives of the 2022 Future of Health Conference are to foster dialogue among critical stakeholders in policymaking, economics, and healthcare on the need for more innovative, scalable, and sustainable healthcare strategies.

“Amplify the role of Local, State, and Federal Government in creating a more favourable environment for better healthcare access to achieve better health outcomes for individuals and communities.

“Advocate for the development and implementation of policies that effect positive change, growth, and development for Nigeria’s healthcare system,” she said.