By Emmanuel Oloniruha
Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership (NCSP) and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare on Thursday met to strategise on the proposed partnership to improve Nigeria healthcare delivery through innovative Chinese technologies.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting between the NCSP-led by its Director-General, Joseph Tegbe, and the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Isiaq Salako, in Abuja WAS aimed at improving Nigeria’s healthcare sector.
Tegbe described the meeting as a significant step toward leveraging Chinese technology and expertise in improving the country’s health sector.
He noted that the discussions and deliverables of the meeting focused on the transformation and enhancement of Nigeria’s healthcare infrastructure, using Chinese expertise, technology and funding.
Tegbe described the meeting as apt, considering that healthcare was one of the priority areas of Nigeria’s elevated partnership with China.
“The meeting considered a number of large healthcare/medical organisations, including Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) who have shown interest in investing in Nigerian health sector, with details of the collaboration being finalised,’’ he said.
According to the director-general, the collaboration will involve partnerships for hospital renovations and construction and acquisition of advanced medical equipment from China.
Other areas of collaboration, he said, would involve transferring skills and technology to enhance Nigeria’s healthcare delivery and setting up mini-grids for strategic health institutions.
“The meeting noted that the elevated partnership with China and the establishment of NCSP are testaments to President Bola Tinubu’s foresight in recognising China as a preferred development partner for Nigeria.
“The proposed health sector collaboration will involve facilitating opportunities for joint ventures or partnerships between Nigerian and Chinese companies to improve healthcare delivery with innovative Chinese technologies.
“This includes multi-functional test kits, delivery and maintenance of medical equipment and training of Nigerian personnel,” he said.
Tegbe further stated that NCSP and the ministry agreed to follow-up interactions between the latter and relevant OEMs to finalise on specific areas of interest, based on priority needs in the sector.
This,according to him, will provide an opportunity for NCSP to leverage the ministry’s technical expertise to ensure Nigeria gets optimum value from the acquisition of equipment.
He added that by driving strategic investments and projects, NCSP aimed to promote industrialisation, economic diversification and long-term growth in Nigeria, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the president. (NAN)
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