Nigeria Health Watch has called for increased investment in healthcare innovations and stronger partnerships to improve health outcomes, as it prepares to host the 2026 Future of Health Conference in Abuja on Thursday, October 29.
The conference, themed “From Innovation to Impact: The Future of Health is Now,” will bring together health leaders, policymakers, researchers, innovators, development partners and other stakeholders to explore practical ways to translate health innovations into measurable and sustainable impact.
Speaking ahead of the conference, Managing Director of Nigeria Health Watch, Vivianne Ihekweazu, said the annual event was designed to anticipate emerging health challenges, spotlight promising innovations and encourage stakeholders to implement solutions capable of transforming healthcare delivery.
Vivianne explained that previous editions had examined critical issues affecting Nigeria’s health sector, including private-sector participation in healthcare delivery and the contribution of Nigerians in the diaspora to strengthening the country’s health workforce.
According to her, the organisation’s previous discussions have helped bring important health sector issues to the forefront of policy conversations.
“Health was never looked upon as business. Now, increasingly, we’re looking at the use, service, and the role of private sector health, and how the government can operate with it. So, the private sector has a big role to play in that,” she said.
Recalling the conference’s 2018 discussions on health workforce migration, Vivianne noted that while Nigeria continued to experience the departure of health professionals, some Nigerians abroad were returning to invest in healthcare facilities and share their expertise.
“However, what we do know is there is also a counter-movement where many health workers are actually coming back to the country and are investing in health facilities, some stay, but some go back and forth from where they moved to,” she said.
She added that many Nigerians who leave the country for professional opportunities still desire to contribute to the development of the health sector.
“Many of our fellow Nigerians who do leave, leave for multiple reasons, and we talk about political factors, many of them still want to contribute their potent to improving health in Nigeria,” she said.
Vivianne cited the development of specialised healthcare facilities as evidence of the contributions Nigerians in the diaspora could make to the country’s health system.
She said discussions at previous editions of the conference had also contributed to wider conversations about policies that could make it easier for health professionals to return and contribute their expertise.
She noted that the launch of the Health Workforce Policy on Migration by the Federal Ministry of Health reflected the growing recognition of issues previously raised during the conference.
Turning to this year’s theme, Vivianne said the focus was on ensuring that innovations addressed existing healthcare challenges rather than remaining ideas for the future.
“Innovations to help us move forward. Innovations to meet and address the gaps between, you know, enabling people in rural facilities or rural areas to have access to health care,” she said.
Explaining the significance of the theme, she stressed that healthcare solutions must be available when people need them, particularly in emergencies involving pregnant women and other vulnerable patients.
“Our theme this year, from innovation to impact, the future of health is now, really talks about the fact that we keep on talking about future initiatives that will occur now, not in the future,” she said.
She illustrated the urgency of healthcare innovation with the example of a pregnant woman who requires immediate medical attention.
“We always think of example, you know, a pregnant woman. It’s not going to wait for some innovation in two years’ time to say, right now, she’s going to give birth. She needs that innovation right now,” Vivianne said.
She explained that the conference would showcase innovations already being implemented and examine how successful interventions could be expanded to reach more people.
“We’re really proud of the broad spectrum of speakers who you will see tomorrow, who will share the many innovations that they are coming up with, and how they have been able to scale. And also, where they actually have challenges,” she said.
According to Vivianne, inadequate funding and an unfavourable policy environment remain among the issues that could prevent promising innovations from achieving their full potential.
“Is it in funding? Is it in the policy environment? So we really want to make sure that, as a country, we are leading in many innovations,” she added.
She observed that although Nigeria had witnessed significant developments in sectors such as banking and telecommunications, healthcare innovations had yet to receive comparable attention.
“We have the banking sector, we have the telecoms. But health does not have that same importance,” she said.
Despite the challenges, Vivianne maintained that several innovations were already helping to address gaps in healthcare delivery and deserved greater visibility and support.
“There are many innovations that are actually filling many of the gaps that we don’t see. And so tomorrow will be a great platform where you’re going to hear from many of them,” she said.
The conference will feature 10 speakers, four Innovation Showcases and three side events, providing opportunities for knowledge exchange, collaboration and engagement around the investments and policies required to strengthen Nigeria’s health system.
The Innovation Showcases will feature Agenda Health, Project HOPE, Salina and K-Health, which will demonstrate their work and highlight the impact of their interventions.
Vivianne said the showcases would place particular emphasis on results rather than simply presenting new ideas.
The conference will also feature discussions on epidemic preparedness, vaccine research and investment, including a signature conversation with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).
The session will examine CEPI’s 100 Days Mission, which seeks to strengthen preparedness for future epidemic threats, alongside the ENABLE study’s contribution to understanding Lassa fever and improving Nigeria’s capacity to conduct vaccine clinical trials.
Other discussions will focus on family planning, maternal health and access to essential healthcare services, with stakeholders exploring opportunities to improve integration, financing and the delivery of interventions.
Three side events supported by Resolve to Save Lives, MSD for Mothers and Organon will further examine critical health priorities, including maternal health, family planning and women’s health innovations.
Vivianne encouraged journalists and other participants to engage with the speakers and partner organisations to gain a deeper understanding of the innovations being developed and implemented in Nigeria.
“We’d be really grateful for you to engage with them also, to really understand the work that they’re doing in Nigeria, and also to provide you with more context of things that we don’t often hear enough about,” she said.
She added that the conference would also provide opportunities for journalists to ask questions, explore emerging issues and identify stories that could improve public understanding of developments within the health sector.
In a press brief signed by the Senior Manager, Strategic Communications, Nigeria Health Watch, Asari Ndem, the organisation said the conference would focus on translating health innovations into practical solutions capable of addressing Nigeria’s pressing healthcare challenges.
“The conference will provide a platform for stakeholders to explore the policies, partnerships and investments needed to improve health outcomes in Nigeria and across the region,” the brief stated.
It added that the discussions would focus on “advancing practical solutions to Nigeria’s most pressing health challenges through innovation, collaboration and increased investment.”
According to the brief, the conference would also examine how successful healthcare interventions could be expanded to reach more people, stressing the need to move beyond developing ideas to achieving measurable results.
The statement noted that “strengthening healthcare delivery systems, improving financing mechanisms and creating an enabling environment for innovation are essential to ensuring that promising solutions achieve greater impact.”
On epidemic preparedness, the organisation highlighted the importance of research, partnerships and vaccine investments, including discussions on the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations’ 100 Days Mission and the ENABLE study on Lassa fever.
The brief further emphasised the importance of bringing together policymakers, healthcare professionals, innovators and development partners to “share evidence, identify implementation gaps and develop practical approaches to addressing persistent challenges in the health sector.”
It said the conference aligned with Nigeria Health Watch’s commitment to “promoting evidence-informed decision-making, strengthening health communication and supporting initiatives capable of improving healthcare access and outcomes.”
The organisation expressed optimism that the conference would encourage stronger partnerships and practical commitments towards building “a more resilient, equitable and sustainable healthcare system.”