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Netherlands Moves To Strengthen Nigeria’s Healthcare Systems
The Government of the Netherlands seeks to support Nigeria in strengthening its healthcare systems, to foster investments in Nigeria’s health sector and transfer capacity, expertise and best practices in line with its trade and aid policies.
The Consulate of the Kingdom of Netherlands, made this known, last Saturday, in a statement at a three-day fact-finding mission for Nigerian delegates in the Netherlands.
The delegation included private sector healthcare providers, financial investors and public sector officials.
The visit was organised by the Consulate of the Kingdom of Netherlands in Lagos, in collaboration with PharmAccess Foundation, the implementing partner for the Government of the Netherlands health-related activities.
According to the Consul General of the Netherlands in Lagos, Michel Deelen, it was the first health mission organised by the Consulate, which brought together leaders to meet and interact with Dutch health entrepreneurs.
He said the mission aimed at fostering investments in the Nigerian health sector and to transfer capacity, expertise and best practices.
“We aim to improve sustainable business partnerships between the Netherlands and Nigeria in key sectors like renewable energy, circular economy, agriculture and health.
“We understand the importance of authentic partnerships and aim to reap shared benefits from matchmaking opportunities in Nigeria and the Netherlands,” he said.
The Director, International Entrepreneurship at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Marc Hasselaar, provided insights into the drafting of a new global health strategy.
He stated that the world economies had become more globalised and individual countries were 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 2023-2030: ‘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, Leonie Van der Stijl, who joined the mission, also noted that healthcare challenges had 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,” Leonie said.
Furthermore, a representative of PharmAcces Nigeria, Mr Njide Ndile, shared findings from the Nigeria Health Sector Market Study.
“The objectives of the study include: to provide 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.
“There are opportunities to leverage investments through funders such as Invest international, who also support and fund governments for systems building, in addition to making access available to the private sector,” he said.
Commenting on the report, Managing Partner and CEO of FIT Consult Limited, Loretta Aniagolu, stated that the study provided by PharmAccess Foundation was very useful in validating their 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,” it said.
The delegation went on site visits to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs).
The Chief Executive Officer of Delft Imaging,Guido Geerts, 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.
“Delft Imaging Systems, established in 1925, has a long history of developing innovative imaging solutions that improve the quality of people,” Geerts said.
According to the World Health Organisation (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 Indirect Channel Manager, West Africa,Edward Mwingi, said that Philips had been developing innovative healthcare solutions across the continuum of care, from health living, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and home-care.
“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.
“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 had a shareholding that included the Dutch Ministry of Finance (51percent) and FMO (49percent), a triple-A bank, the delegation learned how the organisation supported in making investments feasible for Dutch solutions that addressed global challenges.
Senior Business Developer for Child Health and Innovation for Development,Yvette Fleming, and her team, also enlightened the delegates on how the organisation was finding smart solutions to complex issues.
The team shared an example of how they were finding solutions to nutrition and creating employment opportunities, with flying foods: insects for food.
“We have been supporting organisations in Uganda, Kenya and Nigeria through the farming crickets.
“They can be eaten as a snack, ground into powder and added to porridge, bread and cookies.
“The cool bricks an efficient construction material that is environmentally friendly is used to build houses.
“The Nigerian construction material market would be a viable destination for the cool bricks, as the market for environmentally-friendly building materials is still in its infancy,” she said.
Innovations in bioengineering were presented at TU Delft, the oldest and largest Dutch public technical university in the Netherlands.
Viable opportunities were discussed for collaboration in relevant research and development with institutions in Nigeria.
The university has existing partnerships with the University of Lagos and University of Ibadan.
Researchers at the university presented diagnostic innovations that could address neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in low-resource settings.
Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, expressed appreciation to the Netherlands Government, adding that future fact-finding missions should include visits to pharmaceutical companies.
“The need for public-private partnership solutions, with counterpart funding are some of the financing solutions that need to be explored.
He also explained that in Lagos, they were pushing to ensure they smart working, leveraging on multiple sources of funding to deliver one standard of healthcare, benchmarked against international standards.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has described the ongoing construction of the brand new 13.52-kilometre Ngo-Atlantic-Oyorokoto Road as a bold and visionary effort by his administration to open up the coastal region for economic growth and harness the full potential of the state’s blue economy.
The Governor made this remark during an inspection visit to the project site in Andoni Local Government Area. The road, being constructed by Monier Construction Company (MCC), cuts through challenging coastal terrain and leads to a newly identified beachfront facing the Atlantic Ocean.
Governor Fubara explained that while the original plan was to construct a road leading to Oyorokoto Town and its popular beach, his administration decided to expand the project to create an entirely new route that would open access to another pristine beachfront.
“We are doing another inspection today. This particular one is a virgin road, 13.52 kilometres of a new pathway to the blue economy,” Governor Fubara stated.
“Initially, we were constructing a road to Oyorokoto Beach, one of the finest tourist centres in this area. But as we progressed, we discovered another beach directly facing the Atlantic Ocean. It became clear that we shouldn’t limit development to just one site. We want to harness this new beach front as part of our broader plan to develop the blue economy.”
The Governor emphasised that the project, once completed, will not only improve access to coastal communities but also stimulate tourism and economic activities, boosting revenue for Rivers State.
Describing the area’s difficult terrain as challenging, he commended the contractor for its dedication, and expressed confidence that the road would be completed and commissioned by March next year.
“You can see for yourself, it’s a brand-new road in a very difficult terrain, just like the one we saw yesterday. But I strongly believe we will overcome it. From what we’ve seen today, the contractor, MCC, is doing their best, and by next year, hopefully by March, we’ll have the cause to commission this project and give God all the glory,” the Governor affirmed.
Governor Fubara also visited Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area to assess the progress of work on the Epellema axis of the ongoing 5.2km Kalaibiama-Epellema road project featuring a 450-meter bridge.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has expressed satisfaction with the level of progress recorded on the ongoing Trans-Kalabari Road project, revealing that about 75 percent of the critical piling work has been completed.
Governor Fubara made this known while addressing journalists after an on-the-spot inspection of the 12.5-kilometre road project, which will connect the state capital to several Kalabari communities across the sea.
The Governor rode on a boat from a jetty at Rumuolumeni in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area through the rivers and creeks on the project route during the inspection.
The project was awarded to Lubrik Construction Company Limited, on May 15, 2024, with an initial 32-month completion timeline.
The Governor said the visit was aimed at verifying reports from the Ministry of Works regarding the project’s advancement. He commended the contractors for their dedication, and described the progress as “a true reflection of hard work and commitment to excellence.”
“The first phase of the project takes us to Bakana, and features four major river-crossing bridges and nearly five deck-on-pile structures. The terrain is difficult, and the engineering work required is complex. But to the glory of God, I can confirm that the reports I’ve been receiving are accurate. Almost 75% of the piling job, which is the most critical part of the project, has been achieved,” Governor Fubara said.
He emphasised that the Trans-Kalabari Road is one of the most technically demanding infrastructure projects in the state due to its challenging marine terrain but reaffirmed his administration’s resolve to deliver it on schedule.
Governor Fubara highlighted the strategic importance of the road in connecting the Kalabari Kingdom to Port Harcourt, and stimulating economic growth across riverine communities.
“This is a key project that will turn around the lives of the Kalabari people immediately it is concluded. By the grace of God, in the next six months, if we return here for inspection, we might be driving across the bridge,” he said.
Governor Fubara assured Rivers people that his administration remains focused on delivering transformative infrastructure projects that will improve lives and bring lasting development to rural communities.
“We have made a promise to our people to embark on projects that will change lives and bring development, and this is a testament to that commitment,” he added.
The Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, says that the impact of flooding and erosion on the inhabitants of Rivers State, especially those living in coastal communities, are of great concerns to the government.
Governor Fubara lamented the consequences of flood on both human and biotic life, which sometimes lead to loss of life, property, and degradation of the environment.
The Governor made the remark in Port Harcourt during the launch of a book titled, ‘Coastal Zone Flooding And Erosion in Developing Communities, Principles, Cases and Strategies,” written by Emeritus Prof. Wiston Bell-Gam.
According to the Governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Hon. Benibo Anabraba, his administration, would continue to undertake and encourage adaptation strategies to combat flooding.
In his words: “The Rivers State Government will continue to undertake and encourage adaptation strategies, such as construction of seawalls and breakers, canals and channels, restoring coastal ecology and ecosystem for coastal resilience and where necessary, the relocation of communities on the coastline.
“These issues are currently receiving the much needed attention and intervention by the recent approval of the construction of shoreline protection along the coastlines of more than five communities in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni and Opobo/Nkoro LGAs respectively.”
“It is important that as stakeholders in the protection and preservation of marine environment, we all act and advocate for mitigation strategies such as reduction in emission of Green House Gasses that causes climate change and rise in sea levels. Let us promote the use of clean energy and against fossil fuel.
Governor Fubara further cautioned residents to desist from building on waterways.
“We also need to encourage our people to stop developing buildings on and along natural water courses, indiscriminate sea mining and dredging activities on our coastline without consideration for mangroves and swamps,” he stressed.
He appreciated the author for his advanced contributions to the body of knowledge in both Rivers State and globally.
Also speaking, a former Military Governor of the old Rivers State and Amayanabo of Twon Brass, King Alfred Ditte-Spiff, who was Royal Father at the Event, stated that the book was timely to enable stakeholders manage the challenges of global warming.
“Global warming is real. If it’s not addressed globally, a time will come coastal areas will find themselves under water. The coastline of Nigeria is shocking with many mangroves gone,” he noted.
The Reviewer of the Book, who is also the Vice Chancellor of Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Ondo State, Prof Temi Ologunorisa, explained that the 14-chapter book is timeous as it fills literary gaps between desire and available knowledge on coastal flood and erosion in developing communities.,
“A major beauty of the book that sets it apart is the detailed consideration of flood and erosion control from around the world,” he stated, adding that the book is based on detailed field investigation.