On Wednesday, 10th of August 2022, the Edo State Government signed a contract with PharmAccess Foundation to strengthen the health system towards better quality care for Edo residents. As a technical assistance partner, PharmAccess will work with the State Ministry of Health and Health Agencies to strengthen the healthcare regulatory system, and institutionalize quality improvement systems.
During her welcome remarks, the Commissioner for Health, Professor Obehi Akoria, thanked the Staff of PharmAccess Foundation for being part of this historic event in Edo State’s healthcare space. She stated that, “Edo State is very eager to begin this process, so residents can be assured of healthcare service provision by qualified and certified providers. This is the first of its kind in the state and with extensive capacity-building to transfer skills and sustain improvements, Edo State will undoubtedly be able to stand on its own in years to come.”
Speaking at the signing, Mrs. Njide Ndili, Country Director of PharmAccess, expressed her excitement about working with the Edo State Government to advance the quality of healthcare service delivery as a critical catalyst to uptake of health insurance towards universal health coverage. She said, “We are not here to tell you what to do, but rather to collaborate with you in creating a system that benefits Edo State. She also added that “to promote ownership and sustainability, SafeCare would work collaboratively with the government, to train and mentor State Quality Assessors.
Dr. Stanley Ehiarimwian, the acting Permanent Secretary/Director of Regulations and Monitoring, was delighted about the commencement of this partnership and is looking forward to seeing tangible results in the immediate, short, medium, and long term. He is hopeful that the people of Edo state will begin to experience change in the health space such that they receive the best of care in a conducive and enabling environment from skilled healthcare workers.
Dr. Ibironke Dada, Quality Director PharmAccess Nigeria while explaining the approach, emphasized that regulation is the first point of focus in improving the quality of healthcare in the state. Also, speaking on the Quality Improvement Program, she remarked that “in order for things to function as they should, the government would need to put in place some critical enablers and invest in capacity building and infrastructural upgrade to guarantee that we collectively meet our objectives of high-quality healthcare and better health outcomes for all Edo residents.”
The signing ceremony which was held at the Edo State Ministry of Health’s Conference Room was attended by the Commissioner for Health, Health Service Directors of the Edo State Ministry of Health, Management and Implementing team of PharmAccess Foundation, and other key stakeholders.
The SafeCare standards and quality improvement methodology was created by PharmAccess Foundation, Joint Commission International (JCI), and the Council for Health Service Accreditation (COHSASA) in 2011. It is the first internationally accredited standard designed for healthcare facilities in resource-restricted settings, including Sub-Saharan Africa.
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