HFN, HEI expand healthcare access with medical intervention board
The Healthcare Federation of Nigeria and the Health Emergency Initiative have inaugurated the Board of Trustees of the Medical Intervention Initiative for Healthcare Access to deepen access to healthcare across Nigeria.
They explained that the collaborative initiative was established to strengthen access to timely and affordable healthcare for vulnerable and underserved Nigerians.
According to them, MIIHA is designed to address critical gaps in emergency healthcare, particularly in situations where individuals require immediate medical intervention outside the hospital but may lack the financial means to access or sustain the care they need.
The initiative seeks to provide timely financial support for emergency care, including post-crash interventions, while strengthening the broader emergency response system through a private-sector-led intervention and dedicated funding mechanism.
The move, they said, was aimed at transforming emergency response by empowering ordinary citizens and communities as capable first responders, improving access to timely emergency care, and leveraging and strengthening existing institutions, systems, people, and technology rather than creating costly parallel structures.
Speaking on the establishment of MIIHA, the Executive Director of HEI, Mr. Paschal Achunine, said the initiative provides an opportunity to bring institutions and stakeholders together around 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.
Also speaking, the President of the HFN, Njide Ndili, highlighted the need to address the financial and other barriers that 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.
The Chairman of the MIIHA Board, Mr. Oladele Akinyemi, 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,” Akinyemi said.
The inaugural meeting of the board brought together healthcare professionals, civil society leaders and other stakeholders committed to addressing gaps across Nigeria’s emergency healthcare ecosystem, including barriers to timely care, poor post-crash response and limited access to emergency interventions.
The MIIHA Board of Trustees, chaired by the Chairman of HEI Board, Mr. Oladele Akinyemi, comprises Njide Ndili, Mr. Paschal Achunine, Vice Chairman, Noor Takaful Insurance Ltd, Mr. Aminu Tukur; Immediate Past Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye; Managing Director, Cerba Lancet, Dr. Olayemi Dawodu; and former DCM, Operations, Federal Road Safety Corps, Deputy Corps Marshal (Rtd.) Hyginus Omeje.
Others include Provost, College of Medicine, Maryam Abacha University, Kano, Prof. Ryan Garba Muhammad; Emergency Physician and Associate Professor, Canada, Dr. Taofiq Segun Oyedokun; and Ashoka Fellow and CEO, Hope Builders International, Dr. Mathias Yashim.
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.
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