Global pharmaceutical giant, Pfizer, has joined forces with health insurance authorities in Ghana and Nigeria to enhance patients' access to cost-effective healthcare.

This collaborative effort took centre stage at the inaugural Accra Payer Summit, which brought together key stakeholders from both countries to explore ways of leveraging health economics and public-private partnerships to enhance healthcare accessibility.

A statement issued by Pfizer said the Accra Payer Summit, held on September 27, 2023, in Accra, Ghana, witnessed the participation of representatives from Ghana and Nigeria's National Health Insurance Authorities, Ministries of Health, the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, C/CAN, mPharma, private health insurance experts, hospital representatives, and delegates from IQVIA and Pfizer.

The summit served as a platform for constructive dialogue among stakeholders, focusing on how health economics and collaborative initiatives can be utilized to enhance access to healthcare services in Ghana and Nigeria. These discussions laid the foundation for ongoing collaboration and knowledge exchange between the two nations.

The event was followed by a significant development as the 'Support to Evidence-informed Priority Setting in Ghana (StEPS-Gh)” project was officially launched at the Ministry of Health the next day. During this event, Ghana's Essential Health Services Package was unveiled, marking a pivotal step towards improving healthcare accessibility in the region.

Olayinka Subair, Cluster Lead for West Africa at Pfizer, emphasised the company's commitment to identifying and addressing gaps in the patient journey through partnerships with governments and global health organisations.

Subair stated that, "We are driving health equity through affordability programmes for those who cannot afford them, such as subscription models and flexible payment options. We have already made enormous progress towards putting affordability at the heart of our business, as decades of experience working across West Africa have built our strong understanding of patient needs."

Naim Hage, IQVIA Director East Africa & English-speaking West Africa, expressed his organisation's dedication to advancing health outcomes through collaboration.

Hage highlighted the importance of their partnership with Pfizer in addressing unmet public health needs and improving access to cost-effective healthcare.

Alhaji Hafiz Adam, Chief Director of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) of Ghana, expressed pride in the collaborative partnership, which aims to improve the lives of NHIA enrollees in Ghana. He reiterated Ghana's commitment to being a model of sustainable and equitable social health insurance in Africa.

Prof. Mohammed Sambo, Director General and Chief Executive Officer of NHIA Nigeria, discussed Nigeria's efforts to achieve universal health coverage and its collaboration with Pfizer to make quality healthcare accessible to all Nigerians.

The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Ghana, established under the National Health Insurance Act 2003, Act 650, plays a pivotal role in implementing and managing the National Health Insurance Scheme.

Meanwhile, the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Nigeria operates a social health insurance system that enhances access to healthcare services and regulates private health insurance provided by Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs).

Health insurance, a fundamental component of social security, ensures the provision of essential health services to individuals through token contributions at regular intervals. It is a globally recognised mechanism for improving resource mobilisation and equity in healthcare financing.

The collaborative efforts of Pfizer, IQVIA, and the health insurance authorities in Ghana and Nigeria hold promise for advancing healthcare accessibility and affordability in both nations, contributing to improved public health outcomes.