Franca Ochigbo, Abuja
HEALTH Minister, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, has said the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had earmarked N100 billion as loan to encourage private sector participants in the Health sector as independent and partners with the government.
Ehanire said this at the Cardiocare Multispecialty Hospital Complex ultra-modern Cathlab in Abuja.
The minister assured the nation that the government would support private sector participants in the health sector to join hands with government in developing innovative strategies to provide health care access to all Nigerians and foster health workers’ retention.
He said the ultra-modern cardiac catheterisation laboratory, cardiac surgery theatre and multi-specialty health facility are laudable projects in the specialty area of cardiac care.
Ehanire urged more private sector entities to enter the health space.
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The minister quoted the World Health Organisation (WHO) as saying cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of deaths globally, taking an estimated 17.9 million lives each year, which is 31 per cent of all global death.
He added that in Nigeria, cardiovascular disease remains a great public health concern.
According to him, the non-communicable disease programme under the Federal Ministry of Health has reported that cardiovascular diseases are responsible for 11 per cent of the over 2 million non-communicable disease-related deaths annually.
The Group Medical Director of Limi Hospital, Dr. Iseko Iseko, noted that with the country losing over $1 billion annually to medical tourism, the health ministry had to commit several health centres to addressing issues related to availability of quality medical care.
Iseko said the cardiocare hospital had successfully carried out over seventy minimally invasive interventional procedures between set up in February and the official launch in November 2020.
