The Center for Health Education and Life Promotion (C-HELP) recently collaborated with the Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN) to host its 5th health summit, which had the theme “Rebranding The Nigerian System Towards And Within A New Nigeria Of Our Collective Dream.” The event was hosted by Dr. Popoola Margaret, who is passionate about identifying the gaps in the Nigerian health system and finding sustainable ways to bridge those gaps.
The summit took place on October 27th and was followed by a road walk on October 29th with Her Excellency, the wife of the Kebbi State Governor and founder of the Medicaid Cancer Foundation. The annual event, which was the fifth edition, was designed to create awareness about topical health issues and improve the body of knowledge needed to achieve the ultimate goal of reversing medical tourism once the care gaps were bridged.
Unlike previous years, the summit was held online due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but this did not dampen the enthusiasm of participants. The event was very interactive with robust presentations and contributions, and planning and execution went smoothly. The land base for the event was Brix Academy, Jabi.
The summit was an opportunity to educate more people about cancers and point them in the direction of the appropriate health facilities to go when in need of such specialized cancer care. By and large, it made cancer treatment navigation a little easier for people and highlighted facilities that provide cutting-edge services of international standard, which can be accessed in Nigeria at more affordable prices.
One of the key areas of focus at the summit was research and the place of clinical trials in improving the Nigerian health system. This is a definite care gap in Nigeria, and the federal government recently announced the creation of a directorate for cancer treatment research. Although C-HELP cannot take direct credit for its emergence, the organization is happy that its work in the background is one of the many forces driving the change needed to achieve the health system of our collective dream.
The organizers hope that the event will contribute greatly to reversing medical tourism in Nigeria, and they expect to see a significant reduction in the years to come. The 5th Annual C-HELP Health Summit and 7th Cancer Awareness Campaign were an opportunity to bridge healthcare gaps, aid in reversing medical tourism, and educate people about topical health issues. The event was a great success and received positive feedback from participants.
