В Абудже пройдет конференция по устранению разрыва между медицинскими политиками и их реализацией в Нигерии

OneBarrow International Limited is set to bring together policymakers, healthcare professionals and other key stakeholders at the 2026 National Health Equity Conference to address the persistent gap between health policies and their implementation in Nigeria. The conference, scheduled for October 13 to 15, 2026, at the Nigeria National Merit Award House, Maitama, Abuja, will focus on the theme, “From Policy to Impact: Care Coordination as the Core Engine of Health Equity.” The private sector-led event is expected to attract policymakers, legislators, healthcare regulators, development partners, professional bodies, practitioners, private-sector leaders, civil society organisations, patient and community groups, as well as academic institutions. The organisers said the conference would examine practical approaches to improving policy implementation, healthcare access, quality of services and continuity of care across the country. The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, is expected to serve as Chief Host, while the Chairman of the House Committee on Health Services, Hon. Amos Gwamna Magaji, and the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, will attend as Special Guests of Honour. Speaking ahead of the event, the Chief Executive Officer of OneBarrow International Limited, Yemi Ajao, said Nigeria’s healthcare challenge was no longer only about developing policies, but ensuring that existing policies translated into coordinated action and improved outcomes for citizens. Ajao said the conference was designed to bring stakeholders together to focus on implementation, coordination and accountability. According to him, effective care coordination was essential because healthcare delivery involved different professionals, institutions and levels of government working together to meet patients’ needs. He said better coordination among doctors, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory scientists, health administrators and other healthcare workers would help reduce fragmentation and improve referral systems, communication and continuity of care. “Every healthcare cadre has a unique and complementary role to play. The patient experiences the health system as one system, regardless of how many professionals or institutions are involved in their care,” he said. Ajao also stressed the need for stronger collaboration between the federal, state and local governments in translating national health policies into practical strategies capable of improving healthcare delivery. A major focus of the conference, he said, would be the connection between care coordination and health equity, particularly in addressing disparities affecting underserved communities and populations facing barriers to accessing healthcare. The conference will also examine the role of technology, data and citizen participation in strengthening accountability within the healthcare system. The organisers said digital feedback mechanisms, transparency, access to information and awareness of patients’ rights could help make healthcare services more responsive to citizens. Ajao maintained that citizens should be empowered to understand their rights and have effective channels through which they could provide feedback on the quality of healthcare services. He said demand-side accountability should form part of efforts to achieve health equity, noting that a healthcare system that listens to citizens would be better positioned to identify gaps and respond to emerging needs. The conference is expected to culminate in a post-conference communiqué and an implementation roadmap containing practical recommendations and commitments aimed at supporting policy implementation and strengthening cross-sector collaboration. OneBarrow said the objective was to move beyond identifying challenges in the health sector to establishing practical commitments that could be implemented across different levels of Nigeria’s healthcare system. The organisation added that meaningful health reform required more than policy development, stressing that coordinated implementation, accountability and sustained collaboration were necessary to translate reforms into better healthcare outcomes. OneBarrow International Limited is a health equity, CSR and ESG-driven organisation focused on strengthening healthcare and operational systems through innovation, strategic partnerships, policy engagement and integrated care solutions.