The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) and PharmAccess have entered into a strategic partnership to deploy comprehensive quality accreditation tools to measure and improve the quality of healthcare providers within her network across the country.
The formal agreement was signed on Tuesday, July 30th 2024, in Abuja, with senior executives from both organisations in attendance, notably the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the NHIA, Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, and the Country Director of PharmAccess, Mrs Njide Ndili. This partnership represents a significant advancement toward achieving higher quality standards and ensuring better health outcomes for all Nigerians.
Within the Agreement, NHIA will gain access to key components of the SafeCare Toolbox, including the Quality Evaluation System (QES) and Quality Platforms. The QES will enable NHIA to conduct thorough quality assessments, generate detailed reports, and develop targeted quality improvement plans. The Quality Platforms will facilitate extensive data analytics, give optimal visibility to quality improvement activities, and connect the entire ecosystem of stakeholders within the NHIA’s network including NHIA assessors, healthcare providers and the NHIA leadership.
The partnership involves technical support services and periodic trainings for NHIA’s Standards and Quality Assurance and Information & Communication Technologies teams to enhance NHIA’s capacity to manage accreditation and quality assurance activities effectively. The partnership will also build the capacity of NHIA core staff, ensuring the sustainability of quality improvement initiatives.
Speaking at the ceremony, the NHIA Director-General/Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Kelechi Ohiri expressed optimism about the partnership, stating that, “NHIA’s collaboration with PharmAccess marks a significant step towards strengthening the regulation of healthcare providers and achieving higher standards of healthcare quality in Nigeria. This aligns with the health sector renewal investment initiative of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, under the leadership of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate.”
The Country Director of PharmAccess, Mrs. Njide Ndili, expressed her enthusiasm over the partnership, saying it marks a crucial step in advancing healthcare quality in Nigeria, articulating that “PharmAccess is dedicated to supporting the NHIA with the resources and expertise necessary to enhance healthcare quality within its network. Our partnership will facilitate data-driven decision-making and foster a culture of continuous improvement in healthcare delivery, in line with the strategic objectives of the NHIA and the Health Sector Renewal Initiative.”
The Director of Standards and Quality Assurance Department, NHIA, Dr. Yakubu Agada-Amade, highlighted how digitization can significantly enhance the operational efficiency of accrediting healthcare providers, making the process more streamlined, transparent, and effective.
On the other hand, the Director of SafeCare, PharmAccess, Dr. Ibironke Dada, expressed her enthusiasm for collaborating with the NHIA to develop a robust quality rating system for its network of health providers. Dr. Dada emphasized that this partnership is a crucial step in ensuring that healthcare facilities across Nigeria meet consistent, high-quality standards.
The National Health Insurance Authority, the largest strategic purchaser of healthcare in the country, is committed to ensuring equitable access to quality healthcare services for all Nigerians.
PharmAccess Foundation is dedicated to improving access to quality healthcare in Nigeria, and Africa, through innovative multi-pronged solutions that enhance healthcare delivery.