It was a harvest of awards with glitz and glamour at the 8th Annual Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Award (NHEA) ceremony held at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos recently as well-deserving organisations, healthcare professionals and eminent personalities from both pharmaceutical and medical sub-sectors were honoured with different categories of awards.
Speaking during the award presentation ceremony, Prof. Osagie Ehanire, minister of health, and his counterpart, Dr Olorunnimbe Mamora, minister of state, who were both represented by Dr Adedamola Dada, chief medical director, Federal Medical Centre, Ebute Metta, explained that the award ceremony was timely as it came at a time the country had successfully contained the COVID-19 pandemic and its variants which according to him had threatened the economy of the country and the delivery of healthcare services to Nigerians.
“The primary purpose of recognising and rewarding healthcare professionals that have contributed to the efficient and quality healthcare delivery is to foster excellence and sustain quality healthcare to those that need medical care. Good healthcare is the prerogative of this government to Nigerians, so rewarding excellence plays a pivotal role in providing and sustaining a means by which good healthcare delivery is achieved”, he said
Also speaking after receiving his Special Recognition Award as Health Tech Governor of the Year, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, noted that healthcare in the country is faced with a plethora of challenges, adding that public and private sector providers, as well as industry players, find innovative way to thrive in their quests to care for the patients, adding that they keep striving to improve their capacity.
In other categories of the award for 2022, Chief Adebowale Omotosho, chairman, Bond Group, an industrialist, philanthropist, and renowned pharmacist cum elder statesman; Prof Ekanem Ikpi Braide, a renowned educationist, former vice-chancellor, Cross River University of Technology (CRUTECH), and pioneer vice-chancellor, Federal University, Lafia, Nasarawa State, and Prof. Joseph Oyeniyi Aina, an Emeritus Professor of Nursing, were presented with Lifetime Achievement Awards to rousing applause from the audience.
Also, Special Diaspora Healthcare Excellence Award was given to Prof. Ohwofiemu E. Nwariaku, while the TB Special Recognition Award for the Most Outstanding Private Sector Advocacy Support for TB of the Year was given to Leadway Assurance, and TB Advocacy and Impact Organisation of the Year were given to Wellness HMO and Verod Capital.
The award in recognition of outstanding contributions to critical interventions for advanced cleft and surgery training simulation as well as the creation of the first cleft e-registry in Nigeria was given to Smile Train Incorporated, while Sterling Bank Most Responsive COVID – 19 Testing Company of the Year was won by Medbury Medical Service.
In the same vein, Sterling Bank Most Outstanding Genomics Laboratory of the Year Award was won by African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID) Redeemers University, Ede; Sterling Bank Most Outstanding COVID -19 Consumables Manufacturer of the Year (Indigenous) was won by Seven-Up Bottling Company Limited, while Sterling Bank Most Outstanding State for COVID – 19 Vaccination Award was won by Nassarawa State.
This year Outstanding Healthcare Financial Institution of the Year Award was won by Polaris Bank, while the Healthcare Media Excellence Award (Print), as well as Online, were won by Pharmanews and Nigeria Health Watch respectively.
State Government Health Insurance Scheme of the Year went to Katsina State, Private Healthcare Provider of the Year went to Evercare Hospital, while the Private Laboratory Service Provider of the Year, went to Clina-Lancet Laboratories, and Radiology Service Provider of the Year was given to Clinix Healthcare.
The award for Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Company of the year went to Emzor Pharmaceuticals Limited, while Alpha Pharmacy and Stores Limited, was honoured as the Pharmaceutical Retail Outlet of the year, and DrugstocEhub Limited went home with Technology-Driven Distributor Company of the Year.
Also, GE Healthcare won Hospital Equipment Marketing Company of the Year, Biomedical Engineering Service Company of the Year went to JNC International, and Laboratory Equipment Marketing Company of the Year was won by DCL Laboratory Products Limited, Abuja
In other categories, Physiotherapy Service Provider of the Year went to PhysioCraft; Most Outstanding Oncology Centre of the Year, won by Marcelle Ruth Cancer Centre and Specialist Hospital; Dental Service Provider of the Year, won by Beaconhill Smile Clinic; Eye Care Service Provider of the Year, won by Eye Foundation Hospital; Dialysis Service Provider of the Year, won by Zenith Medical & Kidney Centre, Abuja; IVF Service Provider of the Year, won by Nisa Premier Hospital, Abuja.
Others were, Most Active Facility on the SafeCare Quality Platform, won by General Hospital, Agbowa; SafeCare Facility of the Year, won by Evercare Hospital; Innovative Healthcare Service Provider of the Year, won by 54 Gene; Health Maintenance Organisation of the Year, won by AXA Mansard Health.
Speaking at the award ceremony, Sir Ifeanyi Atueyi, publisher, of Pharmanews, expressed his delight with the NHEA, which he said has carved a niche for itself in the healthcare sector, adding that its performance had continued to improve every year.
According to the octogenarian pharmacist, he was selected in 2015 as the first pharmacist in the country to receive the most prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, saying despite the fact that he has numerous awards to his credit, the NHEA Award gave him the greatest joy because it embraces the entire healthcare sector.
Also speaking, the Chairman Advisory Board of NHEA Dr Anthony Omolola, applauded the contributions of all the nominees and winners to the development of the healthcare sector in the country, adding that the NHEA Award is an annual event that celebrates distinguished personalities and organisations who have contributed immensely to the growth of the Nigerian health sector.
He stated that NHEA which started in 2014 has become a high-profile event in the healthcare industry, gaining wide acceptance from stakeholders in the healthcare community, and public and private sectors. He added that the award is an initiative of the Global Health Project and Resources in Partnership with the Anadach group.
“Over the years, the NHEA has endeared more awareness on the quality and standards of services provided by various stakeholders in the industry, by inspiring them to adopt International best practices and aspire to be the benchmark for excellent healthcare service delivery in Nigeria and Africa in general.
“NHEA’s recognition aims to stimulate quality improvement and innovation in the Nigerian health sector leading to improved service delivery & management of key health issues and the capacity of individuals to influence and set new performance standards in Nigeria and beyond”, Omolola said.
Described as the Oscar of the health sector, the NHEA is jointly supported by Global Health Project & Resources (GHPR) in collaboration with the Anadach Group in the United States.
Dignitaries at the event include the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire and Minister of State for Health, Dr Olorunnimbe Mamora, who were both represented by Dr Adedamola Dada, chief medical director, Ebute Metta Federal Medical Centre; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by Prof. Akin Abayomi, commissioner for health, Lagos State; Dr Ifedayo Adetifa, director-general, NCDC; Engr Yakubu Nuhu Danja, commissioner for health, Katsina State; Dr Olaokun Soyinka, former commissioner for health, Ogun State, and Pharm. (Sir) Ifeanyi Atueyi, publisher, Pharmanews, among many others.
 ceremony held at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos recently as well-deserving organisations, healthcare professionals and eminent){kind=link}