By Asmau Ahmad
The Nigeria Solidarity Support Fund (NSSF), a private sector-led institution is raising N300 million to restore the country’s healthcare system.
The fund focuses on reducing maternal mortality by ensuring that more women and children in rural communities get access to quality healthcare.
The NSSF also announced the winners of its 2022 awards, the first in a series of awards to recognise changemakers for their efforts in creating measurable impact across NSSF priority areas.
It’s also to supplement efforts to mitigate the adverse economic efforts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Nigerians, strengthen the country’s healthcare system, and re-skill the Nigerian workforce for a post-pandemic world.
One of the NSSF Corporate Sponsor Award recipient and Chairman of NSSF, Mr Tunde Folawiyo, said he was commited to strengthening the healthcare system in Nigeria.
Folawiyo, who is also the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Yinka Folawiyo Group, said, “Our target is to reach out to 500, 000 citizens in Nigeria and diaspora.”
He further revealed that the health sector was most hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and therefore, NSSF’s focus was to see the health sector recover.
He also emphasised the need to draw from global best practices with a focus on creating awareness and enhancing healthcare systems and infrastructure.
While General Manager of NSSF, Dr. Fejiro Chinye-Nwoko in her presentation on the gap in the country’s health sector, indicated that education, economic stability, access to quality healthcare and basic infrastructure continue to impede the citizens’ right to healthcare.
“With the staggering statistics that laid the groundwork to improve health outcomes for Nigerians, we seek to address the healthcare system and the broader socio-economic challenges to reduce maternal and child deaths through improving access to quality healthcare for vulnerable Nigerians,” he added.
However, the award recipients include Mr. Tunde Folawiyo (Tengen Family Office, Corporate Sponsor Award); Mr. Anthony Oputa (NSSF Sponsor Award); Mr. Olaniwun Ajayi (Ambassador Award) and Dr. Ajoritsedere Awosika (Female Sponsor Award).
