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Public-private sector, research institutes cure to healthcare delivery, says Kano Independent Research Trust
From Desmond Mgboh, Kano
The Kano State Independent Research Trust Center has stressed the need for active collaboration among government, research and private institutions in order to tackle the pressing challenges of healthcare delivery in Nigeria.
The Research Center, established in 2013 by Pfizer for the Kano State government to conduct biomedical and healthcare research on communicable and non-communicable diseases, insisted that this collaboration would ensure increased access to healthcare, ensure affordability of health services and improve overall efficiency.
Addressing journalists during its medical outreach held at Ahmad Tijjani Jamaat Mosque inside Kano City, Chief Medical Director of the Trust, Dr Jamil Ismail Ahmad insisted, “The government needs to come in, research institutions like ours need to come in, the private sector, the philanthropists and even the people themselves need to come in to make things better.
He explained that it was against this background and in line with their corporate responsibility that they organized the outreach programme, explaining that their target was to attend to between 3,000 to 4,000 patients suffering from different communicable and non-communicable ailments such as malaria, pneumonia, hepatitis and HIV, among others.
He observed that the medical services provided to patients included consultations, checking of vital signs, free drug dispensation and medical advice and awareness to patients, in addition to a few cases of referrals.
He further told journalists that they would commence clinical service in their office by the third week of September 2023 adding that the equipment, manpower and other critical resources necessary to take off were already on the ground.
The Chief Imam of the Mosque, Sheikh Muhammad Nasir Adam expressed appreciation to the research trust while calling on members of the public to embark on a similar life-saving venture.
“This is a Godly act which, if the people will understand, we will get out of the present difficulties in no time as God Almighty enjoins the people to help one another” he stated.