Medical Association of Nigerians Across Great Britain (MANSAG), Nigerian Nurses Charitable Association, UK (NNCA- UK) and The Nigerian Radiographers in Diaspora (NIRAD) are joinning efforts with counterpacts from USA, Canada and Nigeria to achieve the ultimate objective of improving the standard of healthcare services in Nigeria.
A delegation made up of representatives of Nigerian Healthcare workers in diaspora embarked on a medical mission to Nigeria on the 8Thof October 2019. The team met with the Senate Committee of Health. The discussion centred on The Diaspora Professionals Healthcare Initiative (DPHI), a programme which arose from of one eleven (I/11) initiated by the Federal Ministry of Health in 2016 and the PRIME and PRIDE Program set up by the Senior Special Assistant on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Matters, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa.
The UK medical practitioners on the delegation included members of MANSAG, Dr Ibrahim BOLAJI President, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecological Surgeon/Senior Clinical Lecturer. Divisional Clinical Governance Lead (O and G) Hull York Medical School and Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital Northern Lincolnshire and GOOLE Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust UK.
Dr Chris Agbo, Consultant Renal & Acute Medicine Clinical Lead – Acute Kidney Injury Service & Simulation Lead, Hinchingbrooke Hospital – North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust Cambridgeshire United Kingdom.
Dr Mike Ehima Trainee Representative, General Practitioner, London.
Ms Elizabeth Ekanem Senior Midwife Practitioner/Trainer and Facilitator, an Executive member represented the Nigerian Nurses Charitable Association UK.
The initiative is known as, the Diaspora Professionals Healthcare Initiative (DPHI)
In a quest for sustainable development in all areas especially on health, the Federal Mininstry of Nigeria need to pay particular attention to critical issues of capacity building, mobilisation, harnessing and deployment of human capital resources wherever they may be.
In doing so, it seeks to engage its Diaspora healthcare professionals and experts, working alongside their locally-based colleagues, to help enhance the standard of healthcare services in Nigeria.
The aim of the program is to bring Nigerian healthcare professionals practising in the diaspora, back home for periods of one to four weeks at a time to work in designated healthcare centres to engage in the provision of clinical care, teaching, training of indigenous healthcare practitioners with the aim of capacity-building, transfer of knowledge and skills in various specialty areas that would be identified as requiring immediate attention.
The ultimate objective of DPHI is complementingand improving the standard of healthcare services in Nigeria. It is multi professional and global.
The strategic partners include:
United Kingdom
Medical Association of Nigerians Across Great Britain (MANSAG)
Nigerian Nurses Charitable Association, UK (NNCA- UK)
The Nigerian Radiographers in Diaspora (NIRAD)
United States of America
Nigerian Physicians in the Americas (ANPA)
National Association of Nigerian Nurses in North America (NANNNA)
Nigerian Association of Pharmacists and Pharmaceutical Scientists in the Americas (NAPPSA).
Canada
Canadian Association of Physicians and Dentists (CANPAD)
Germany
Nigerian Medical Association-Germany (NMA-Germany)
South Africa
Nigerian Doctors Forum (NDF) of South Africa
Nigeria
Nigerian Medical Association (NMA)
Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN)
Chief Executives of Federal Tertiary Health Institutions
CMDs of teaching hospitals
The National Assembly (NASS) of Nigeria,
Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH),
The Office of the Senior Special Assistant on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Affairs
OBJECTIVES OF DPHI
To leverage the collective knowledge, skills, expertise and efforts of the diaspora and home-based healthcare personnel through a Programme to address healthcare service delivery issues of critical importance to Nigeria and it’s Diaspora.
To strengthen the relationships between the Diaspora healthcare professionals and their colleagues in Nigeria to contributeto the development and strengthening of the nation’s health services.
To reduce the flow of brain drain resulting in a depleted workforce.
To reduce or overcome the challenge of the paucity of some specialised services led by highly trained and qualified practitioners, which often result in capital flight from the country due to medical tourism activities.
The DPHI was therefore conceived to address these challenges through a comprehensive, well-planned and implemented Programme that would enable interested and motivated Nigerian diaspora healthcare practitioners to provide specialised clinical services, in conjunction with their home-based colleagues, for varying periods of time.
Kindly follow us on twitter:@AfricanVoice2
