After a week of intensive training, Lagos Business School recently handed out certificates to this year’s graduating set of the Management Development Institute (MDI) Healthcare Leadership Programme at an event which took place at Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The goal of the in-residence training programme facilitated by Johnson & Johnson is to equip health sector leaders and managers with requisite knowledge and resources to lead teams in various capacities, implement national health priorities, and improve the effectiveness of the healthcare system.
Speaking at the event, the Special Guest of honour and Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, highlighted the challenges facing the healthcare sector in Nigeria while calling on relevant stakeholders to do more in tackling those challenges.
“Several studies have shown that the major drivers of underperforming health systems include limited access to medicines, equipment, human resources, infrastructure, poor financing, and governance.
“The task of revamping Nigeria’s healthcare system is, and must continue to be, a collective one – the government, private sector, international and indigenous development partners, and all Nigerians – must work together to create a health system that we all desire to see and benefit from,” said Dr Balarabe.
Fola Laoye, the Guest Speaker and Chief Executive Officer of Health Markets Africa, delivered a keynote address on the gaps present in Nigeria’s healthcare financing system while identifying shortfalls in government healthcare expenditure towards achieving universal healthcare coverage as required by the United Nations.
While giving her remarks, the Dean, Lagos Business School, Professor Enase Okonedo emphasized the key values of team work, ethics, and professionalism in achieving quality healthcare delivery in Africa while urging the graduating students to mirror the change they want to see in the society.
“We believe that as students of the MDI Healthcare Leadership Programme you are indeed ambassadors of Lagos Business School and this comes with a great responsibility. We therefore expect that you imbibe the institution’s values and return to your respective organisations as change agents and exemplary leaders,” she said.
Over 1,400 participants from 39 African countries have so far benefited from the programme administered by the Global Business School Network (GBSN).
