Nigeria and Israel have partnered to improve healthcare services for patients with liver and pancreatic diseases as the collaboration aims to provide specialised training for Nigerian healthcare professionals and upgrade the country’s healthcare infrastructure.
The Special Adviser to the President on Health, Dr Salma Ibrahim Anas in her remarks at the Hepato Pancreato Biliary symposium in Abuja, explained that the partnership fully aligns with President Bola Ahmed’s vision of achieving universal healthcare coverage for all Nigerians.
The symposium was organised by Nigeria -Israel in collaboration with the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Health.
While speaking further, she stressed the importance of early disease detection, citing the challenges posed by late presentations.
According to her, “The partnership has already yielded positive results, with a recent medical intervention at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Abuja demonstrating the effectiveness of collaborative efforts.”
The Special Adviser also praised the Israeli Ambassador, Mr. Michael Freeman, for his commitment to the partnership as she acknowledged the role of Professor Sa’ad and the international expert, in facilitating the partnership.
“Professor Sa’ad has done it before in the state in Nigeria, and also I am coming from Borno. We’ve had partnership in the past with the Israeli Embassy, especially in the area of capacity building, and digitalization and other human resources aspect of development.
“The future of this partnership looks promising, with plans to establish a capacity-based resource center at the FMC.
“This center will serve as a hub for training and research, enabling healthcare professionals from across Nigeria to benefit from the expertise shared through this collaboration.
“We want to create a legacy that goes beyond this initial success. We aim to build a sustainable partnership that will continue to improve healthcare services in Nigeria.
“The partnership is expected to have a positive impact on the country’s healthcare system, reducing the need for medical tourism and improving health outcomes for patients with liver and pancreatic diseases,” he said.
In his remarks, the Israel Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Michael Freeman, said the collaboration is part of Israel’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s healthcare development.
Freeman also explained that the partnership began with a conversation between Dr. Salma and Israeli officials at the Embassy several months ago.
“They discussed health initiatives within President Tinubu’s new hope agenda, and Israel expressed its desire to contribute its expertise to Nigeria’s healthcare challenges,” he said.
Freeman emphasised that the partnership is not just about saving lives, but about capacity building, knowledge sharing, and establishing Nigeria as a center of excellence in healthcare.
Freeman pointed out the critical role of key individuals, including Salma, Sadot, Salimani, and Paola, in driving this initiative forward.
He praised their dedication and expertise, which have been instrumental in the partnership’s success.
Freeman also acknowledged the significance of this project, stating, “Our dream is that Nigeria becomes a centre of excellence… people come on medical tourism to Nigeria, not from Nigeria.
“The partnership has already yielded positive results, with a recent medical intervention saving the lives of four patients.
“This is just the beginning, and Israel is committed to continuing its support for Nigeria’s healthcare development,” he said.
He also announced plans to explore other areas of collaboration, including eye specialization and malaria treatment.
Freeman expressed his gratitude to the individuals involved in the partnership, stating, “We need to make sure that we do and we make a difference.”
He reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s healthcare development and promoting capacity building and knowledge sharing.
“If you want to understand what Israel really is, this is real Israel. This partnership serves as a shining example of the positive impact that international collaboration can have on healthcare development,” he said.
Earlier, the FMC Abuja, Chief Medical Director, Prof Sa’ad Ahmed, appreciated the Special Adviser to the President on Health for brokering the collaboration.
The CMD who was represented by the Head of Clinical Services, Dr Bioku Muftau also thank the Israeli Ambassador and the good people of Israel for partnering with the hospital to advance healthcare development in Nigeria.
He highlighted the importance of collaboration in healthcare improvement, citing examples of successful partnerships with international organizations in the past.
He disclosed that the recent medical collaboration resulted in the successful surgery of four patients, who are now recovering well and expressed gratitude to the entire team involved in the surgery, including surgeons from Nigeria, Israel, and the United States, as well as the hospital’s support staff.
He noted that the collaboration has laid the foundation for the hospital to become a routine institution for complex medical procedures.
“The issue of collaboration for healthcare improvement did not start this week. We’ve been on this journey for a very long time,” he said.
He cited examples of previous collaborations, including partnerships with the Symphony Health Foundation in the UK and the Association of American Surgeons in Nigeria.
These partnerships he said, have enabled the hospital to perform complex medical procedures, including open heart surgery and neurosurgical procedures.
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