FORMER Health Minister Professor Isaac Folorunso Adewole has been elected as the President of the Nigerian Academy of Medicine (NAMed), a body established to enhance the quality of healthcare through education.
Prof. Adewole was elected to take over from the outgoing President of the Academy, Emeritus Prof. Samuel C. Ohaegbulam, at the NAMed’s annual lecture, Induction Ceremony, and Scientific Conference in Abuja.
Adewole, in his acceptance speech, pledged to lead the Academy to greater heights and ensure that his tenure would consolidate on the achievements and successes of his predecessor.
A guest speaker, Dr Francis Ukwuije, who is a WHO health economist, while speaking on ‘Healthcare Financing in Nigeria: Are We Getting It Right?’ recommended that greater efforts needed to be made in financing healthcare to prevent catastrophic out-of-pocket expenses.
The second scientific session included a panel discussion with Dr Kelechi Ohiri, Director-General of the National Health Insurance Authority; Dr Sir Frank Odafen, a medical entrepreneur; Dr Joyce Barber, an HMO provider; Dr John A. Onyeokoro, a public health physician; and a health insurance expert as panel speakers.
The discussion focused on health insurance in Nigeria, its progress since inception, challenges, and prospects, with emphasis on the way forward.
They suggested that the Academy should intensify advocacy to redirect and expand health insurance, which currently covers only 10 per cent of the population.
Earlier, Emeritus Prof. Samuel C. Ohaegbulam, the immediate past president, said that the academy purposefully selected ‘Emerging and re-emerging diseases’ as the conference’s theme because of the rise in illnesses in the nation.
The induction ceremony had 20 new fellows, among who are eminent physicians, distinguished professors, and medical scientists who hold critical positions, such as chief medical directors of tertiary health institutions and vice-chancellors of universities.