Edo partners Dutch-based firm, trains healthcare providers, evaluators

The Edo State Government is collaborating with PharmAccess Foundation, a Dutch-based non-profit organization to train healthcare providers and evaluators across the state.

The Edo State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Obehi Akoria, in a statement, said the training is aimed at building the capacity of state officials to perform quality assessments for primary and secondary healthcare facilities across the state’s 18 local government areas.

According to her, “During the training, participants were taken through the safe care assessment data review and approval process. This is in preparation for field visits which commenced today, Tuesday the 18th of October.

“The first week of training was spent in the classroom understanding the theoretical component of the curriculum, conducting a mock survey (case study) and engaging in hands-on sessions with the SafeCare tools.”

The Commissioner further explained that the trainees were selected from the different Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) within the Ministry of Health.

She added that the primary objectives of the training are to familiarize participants with, “The SafeCare Standards and interpretation; the SafeCare quality improvement methodology and tools (AfriQA, Library and AfriDB); conducting a SafeCare Assessment (hands-on Mock Survey) developing and facilitating Quality Improvement Plans (QIP); sensitizing and preparing facilities for assessments and provide support throughout the quality improvement journey.”

The statement noted that “PharmAccess Foundation is an international organization with a digital agenda dedicated to connecting more people in Sub-Saharan Africa to affordable and quality healthcare.

“Its quality improvement methodology, SafeCare, is designed especially for resource-restricted healthcare facilities. SafeCare’s internationally recognized standards create a transparent improvement path that offers clinics positive incentives to move steadily upwards in quality.”

“This partnership between Edo State and PharmAccess Foundation is one of several geared towards achieving universal health coverage, a goal which is non-negotiable for the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration,” Prof. Akoria asserted.