The Federal Ministry of Health recently marked a significant milestone with the signing of two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) aimed at bolstering healthcare standards and enhancing service delivery within Nigeria's federal tertiary hospitals. These agreements were forged between the National Tertiary Health Institutions Standards Committee (NTHISC), PharmAccess Foundation, and the Society for Quality in Healthcare in Nigeria (SQHN).

NTHISC, a vital federal government body, was established under the National Health Act 2014. Its core mandate is to ensure high standards and compliance across the nation’s tertiary health institutions, thereby guaranteeing quality healthcare provision. The minister of state for health, Dr. Iziaq Salako, speaking at the signing ceremony in Abuja, hailed this collaboration as a “new dawn” for Nigeria’s healthcare landscape. He passionately articulated that quality healthcare forms the bedrock of national development, emphasizing that federal tertiary hospitals must evolve into dynamic centers of healing and hope. Patients, he stressed, should not only receive excellent medical attention but also be treated with profound dignity and compassion. Dr. Salako, represented by Dr. Kamil Shoretire, director of health planning, research, and statistics, reiterated that these MoUs perfectly align with the NTHISC's foundational mandate under the National Health Act 2014 to set and enforce national standards.

The partnerships are further strengthened by the international expertise brought by PharmAccess and SQHN, both of which are recognized by the International Society for Quality in Healthcare (ISQua). This global insight, combined with local knowledge, is expected to drive sustainable reforms within the Nigerian health system. Prof. Abiodun Philip, Chairman of NTHISC, highlighted the anticipated benefits of these collaborations. He noted that they would facilitate periodic assessments of tertiary hospitals, culminating in a transparent, performance-based ranking system. This system, he explained, would clearly delineate the comparative quality of services offered across various facilities.

Prof. Philip further elaborated that this initiative is poised to achieve dual objectives: significantly improving healthcare delivery nationwide and actively working to reverse the trend of medical tourism. By ensuring Nigerians can access world-class services domestically, the need to travel abroad for medical care will diminish. Acknowledging the monumental task ahead, he expressed unwavering confidence, stating, “The task of quality improvement in our tertiary healthcare institutions is enormous, but we remain courageously resolute. With these partnerships, we are confident of achieving enviable results that will strengthen our health system.” Beyond these immediate collaborations, NTHISC is also actively pursuing partnerships to establish a national organ donation and transplantation registry, introduce cutting-edge robotic surgery, and expand critical oncology services across Nigeria. Both PharmAccess and SQHN reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Nigeria in building a more resilient and patient-centered health system. The ceremony was well-attended by senior officials from the Ministry, directors of hospital services, and representatives from the partner organizations.