The Healthcare Federation of Nigeria (HFN) and the Health Emergency Initiative (HEI) have inaugurated the Board of Trustees of the Medical Intervention Initiative for Healthcare Access (MIIHA), a joint initiative to strengthen access to timely and affordable healthcare for vulnerable and underserved Nigerians.
The inaugural meeting brought together healthcare professionals, civil society leaders and other stakeholders committed to addressing barriers to essential healthcare, particularly for Nigerians who face financial constraints in accessing timely medical intervention.
The MIIHA Board of Trustees is chaired by Oladele Akinyemi, chairman, HEI Board and comprises health executives including Njide Ndili, HFN president and country director, PharmAccess.
Speaking on the MIIHA initiative, Paschal Achunine, executive director of the Health Emergency Initiative, said the programme provides an opportunity to bring institutions and stakeholders together for a more coordinated approach to improving healthcare access.
‘MIIHA is about building a practical and sustainable platform that can respond to the healthcare needs of vulnerable Nigerians while strengthening collaboration across the health sector. We believe that by bringing the right partners together, we can help close some of the gaps that prevent people from accessing timely care,’ Achunine said.
Oladele Akinyemi, MIIHA’s chairman emphasised the importance of strong governance and collaboration in delivering on the initiative’s objectives.
‘The success of MIIHA will depend on our ability to build a credible, accountable and sustainable institution. Our responsibility as a Board is to provide the leadership and oversight required to ensure that the initiative delivers meaningful value to the people it is established to serve,’ he said.
Ndili also highlighted the need to address barriers such as poor finance which prevent vulnerable Nigerians from accessing healthcare when they need it.
‘Access to healthcare is not only about the availability of services; it is also about whether people can reach and afford the care they need when they need it. MIIHA provides an opportunity to strengthen collaboration and develop interventions that put people and their healthcare needs at the centre,’ she said.
At its inaugural meeting, the Board affirmed its commitment to developing MIIHA as a collaborative platform that complements existing government and healthcare systems while mobilising partnerships and resources to improve access to healthcare.
The Board also commenced work on the strategic and technical framework that will guide the implementation of MIIHA, with a focus on accountability, sustainability and measurable impact.
The establishment of MIIHA reflects the commitment of HFN and HEI to strengthening partnerships across Nigeria’s health sector and supporting practical solutions to barriers that limit access to essential healthcare.
Through partnerships, resource mobilisation and coordinated interventions, MIIHA seeks to support efforts that address financial and other barriers to essential healthcare access in Nigeria.
HFN is a coalition of private healthcare sector stakeholders dedicated to supporting the achievement of Universal Health Coverage through private-sector engagement and activation. HFN works to strengthen the private health sector through advocacy, capacity building, access to finance, strategic partnerships and engagement with government and other stakeholders.
HEI is a Nigerian nonprofit organisation committed to preventing avoidable deaths by improving access to timely healthcare for indigent and vulnerable people. HEI provides emergency medical assistance, supports the payment of hospital bills for vulnerable patients, provides post-crash care and trains first responders and communities in lifesaving emergency response skills.