Owerri: A leading healthcare solutions provider, JNC International Ltd, has lauded President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies, saying they have brought stability and progress to the healthcare sector.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Mrs. Ronke Adiele, Head of Sales, Medical and Surgical Solutions, Nigeria and West Africa, JNCI, spoke in an interview on the sideline of the just-concluded Imo Economic Summit, held in Owerri. The theme of the summit was ‘Unlocking Imo’s Economic Potential: Partnership, Investment, and Innovation’.
Adiele described the president’s policies as ‘progressive’, and praised the Presidential Value Chain system, which focuses on improving the healthcare value chain and encouraging local manufacturing. She emphasized that manufacturing healthcare equipment locally is key for the economy.
She also noted that the policies had facilitated the signing of numerous Memoranda-of-Understanding by global firms to begin local production of items, such as rapid diagnostic tests. Adiele expressed satisfaction with the stability of the exchange rate in recent months, stating that it had greatly benefited the company and its clients.
Adiele commented, ‘We have had stability with the dollar rate, which has helped the company plan business projections, especially for heavy equipment acquisition. The stability of the exchange rate is a significant factor in facilitating business in the healthcare industry. The government’s responsiveness has increased the organisation’s profit. The initiative of the Federal Government has really impacted us positively in the healthcare industry with a lot of improvement, and that is continuity.’
Despite the gains, Adiele mentioned that slow implementation processes in the public sector remain a challenge. ‘Lengthy tender processes mean the equipment’s value changes before funding is released,’ she said, calling for faster tender processes and more development financing.
She advocated for single-digit interest rates to boost the private sector’s role in healthcare delivery and highlighted that the healthcare sector is poised for growth with local manufacturing and investments in infrastructure. ‘Projections show a rise in local manufacturing, which will create jobs and lower equipment costs. We see a Nigeria that will grow by leaps and bounds in the next few years. Infrastructure, like alternative power, and an energy free trade zone, are essential for this success,’ Adiele said.
She further mentioned that with the new initiatives by the president, Nigeria will see a major drop in neonatal and maternal mortality rates. Adiele urged non-medical practitioners to invest in the health sector, expressing the need for more cancer centres in the country.