By Martins Ifijeh
The
Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) and the International
Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, said they
are mapping out strategies to increase investments in the nation's
health sector, as part of efforts towards ending the over $ 1 billion
Nigerians spend on medical tourism.
Speaking at the
NSIA, IFC, joint media briefing in Lagos, Chief Risk Officer and
Executive Director, NSIA, Mrs. Stella Ojekwe-Onyejeli, said they are
seeking to catalyze private sector investment in the healthcare space by
establishing Public-Private Partnerships and innovative solutions,
which is their core mandate as they are saddled with the responsibility
to invest on behalf of the government.
She said NSIA has
set aside $400 million for investment in the economy and could use 35
per cent, about $140 million of it on the health sector, which though
small, would serve as the start-up capital, hence the need to look for
co-investors like the IFC.
On his part, the
IFC Country Director, Eme Essien Lore said there was need to support the
private hospital sector in Nigeria so that they can deliver affordable,
accessible and quality care informed the forum.
To progress in the
sector, she said the country will need innovative approaches like public
private partnerships (PPPs), among others to mobilise private capital
for public healthcare. According to her, longer term outlook indicates
that considerable opportunity exists for the private sector to play a
viable role in providing affordable healthcare across the country. Lore
said,
"IFC is committed
to help increase affordable quality healthcare services by financing and
facilitating financing for integrated networks. This will support the
development of critical healthcare infrastructure and attract private
capital into the sector. "We are working with NSIA to boost investment
in the healthcare sector and bridge the gap in under supply of quality
healthcare in Nigeria."
