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In a bid to address pressing challenges in Nigeria’s healthcare sector, the Healthcare Federation of Nigeria (HFN) and the leadership of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) held a pivotal Roundtable Dialogue aimed at addressing critical issues impacting the healthcare sector. The event, which was held on Friday, June 14th, brought together key stakeholders from the healthcare sector, customs, and the Ministry of Finance to discuss and devise solutions for enhancing healthcare delivery across the nation.
The Customs delegation was led by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, accompanied by all seven assisting Deputy Comptrollers-General. The HFN delegation was spearheaded by HFN President, Dr. Pamela Ajayi, alongside other executives of the federation. Additionally, the Federal Ministry of Finance (FMOF) was represented by the Director, Technical Services Department, FMOF, Basheer Abdulkadir, who provided valuable insights into fiscal policies affecting the healthcare sector, such as tariffs and concessions.
The dialogue fostered a productive exchange on crucial challenges affecting the healthcare sector. Dr. Pamela Ajayi highlighted the sector’s significant hurdles, including poor access to healthcare and high costs for consumers. She emphasized the urgent need for Customs’ support to improve healthcare delivery. Key issues addressed included delays in the clearance of medical goods, inconsistencies in customs regulations, and the need for more transparent and streamlined procedures.
In response, the Comptroller-General, Bashir Adeniyi, made substantial commitments, including the establishment of a Technical Working Committee to define specific clearance procedures for medical goods and streamline import processes through the creation of a checklist for life-saving medical appliances. Additionally, he announced the creation of a dedicated Healthcare Desk within Customs.
“The Controller General of Customs cannot delegate the powers that it does not have, so all those things that are within the power that Customs can exercise, I would be glad for us to have a technical working group,” said Adeniyi. “The first low-hanging fruit for us is to come up with a specific clearance procedure for medicaments and things that are associated with life-saving equipment.”
Adeniyi underscored the importance of creating a standardized checklist to reduce delays in the clearance of medical goods. The Technical Working Committee will focus on identifying and addressing specific issues raised by health sector stakeholders, ensuring a streamlined process that meets international standards and the unique needs of Nigeria’s healthcare system. This initiative aims to facilitate the smooth and efficient importation of life-saving medical appliances and other critical health-related goods, ultimately benefiting the health sector and the public at large.
The CGC further emphasized the need for collaboration with relevant stakeholders, such as the Ministry of Finance, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, NAFDAC, SON, and DSS, to ensure efficient and effective regulation and classification of medical imports.
The Director, Technical Services Department, FMOF, Basheer Abdulkadir, expressed commitment to work with the HFN in addressing the concerns of the healthcare sector. He said: “We will work with the Healthcare Federation of Nigeria to ensure that the healthcare system, to a large extent, is improved by expediting the importation of goods that are not readily available but essential for citizens’ health. For items that we have the capacity to produce locally, we will protect them from being imported to support local production.”
This dialogue marks a significant step towards addressing the pressing challenges in Nigeria’s healthcare sector. The commitments from the NCS are expected to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare delivery across the country, providing a brighter future for healthcare in Nigeria.
