Speakers

Moderator

Dr. Nkem Ene

CEO, Preston Associates for International Development

Over 25 years of experience in Health Program Evaluation, Service Delivery Assessments, M&E, Accountability mechanisms, Health Policy Analysis, Program Costing, Quality Improvement, Organizational Performance Measurement/Management and Impact Assessments.
Development areas that the above expertise was applied to: Health System Strengthening, Maternal Health, Reproductive Health/FP, Malaria, Infant, Newborn and Child Health, Nutrition, Routine Immunization and HIV/AIDS

Dr Nkem Ene is the Chief Executive Officer of Preston Associates for International Development, with headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria. She received a Bachelor degree in Medicine and Surgery from the University Nigeria, Nsukka in 1990 and a Post-graduate Masters degree in Public Health from Columbia University, New York, with a major in Health Policy and Management in 2003. She consults for UN Agencies, including the WHO and the World Bank as well as major international donors such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, DFID among others, on projects across three continents (Europe, North America and Africa). Dr Nkemdilim Ene is a certified PRINCE 2 Project Manager (Practitioner Level).

Her public health experience spans across health system reforms such as accountability mechanisms, sector coordination, and system-wide approaches, as well as performance management systems and health program evaluations. She has acquired extensive experience in Health System Development, Performance Monitoring and Health Plan Costing and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Public Health, UK as well as a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives. Dr Ene currently sits on numerous governing boards and is actively involved in philanthropy through the Preston Development Foundation which she chairs. Under her leadership, Preston has expanded beyond Health to successfully execute projects in Education, Governance and Finance.

Moderator

Dr. Chioma Nwakanma

Public Health Doctor/Founder, SMILE With Me Foundation

Onyedikachi Chioma Nwakanma is a Nigerian board certified medical doctor in public health practice, writer, healthcare thought leader and TEDx speaker with years of experience in health communication/advocacy, sexual & reproductive health and rights, leadership and project management in healthcare. She is the Communications director for Medically Speaking Africa and the Founder of SMILE With Me Foundation, an NGO leveraging digital health technology to reduce mortality rates from preventable diseases through impactful outreaches in low-middle income African communities using health education and health aids as tools. A 2020 fellow of the Young African Leaders Institute (YALI RLC West Africa).
Keynote Speaker

Rep. Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu

Chairman, House Committee on Health Services

Rep. Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu, is the Chairman of the Committee on Health Services of the 9th House of Representatives.
Keynote Speaker

Rep. Dr. Pascal Obi

Chairman, House Committee on Health Institutions

Rep. Dr. Pascal Obi is the Chairperson of the Committee on Health Institutions of the 9th House of Representatives.
Host, Panelist

Rep. Benjamin Okezie Kalu

Official Spokesperson, House of Representatives

Rep. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, is the Chairperson, Committee on Media and Public Affairs of the House of Representatives.
Keynote Speaker, Panelist

Dr. Osagie Ehanire

Honourable Minister of Health

Dr. Osagie E. Ehanire, the Honourable Minister of Health, Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a Medical Doctor and an outstanding surgeon. He an indigene of Edo State in Nigeria. He holds a degree in Medicine from Ludwig Maximillians University, Munich. He also holds post graduate Diplomas from the Teaching Hospital of the University of Düsseldorf and Essen, Germany in the areas of Anaesthesiology, General Surgery, and Orthopaedic Trauma Surgery. Dr. Osagie has rendered his services as a member of various medical Boards both within and outside Nigeria. He was Senior Registrar, Clinical Instructor of University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), and a Member of the old Bendel and Edo States Hospital Management Board, Consultant Surgeon, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria, Clinical Course instructor, Fracture Internal Fixation course, BG Accident Hospital, Duisburg, Germany.
Keynote Speaker

Dr. Adeleke Mamora, Panelist

Honourable Minister of State for Health

Mr. Adeleke Olurunnimbe Mamora, Honourable Minister of State for Health, was born on 16th February, 1953 in Lagos state, Nigeria. His parents are Mr. and Mrs. Elizabeth Mamora, both of who were educationists.
He attended Ijebu-Ode Grammar School, Ogun State before proceeding to University of Ife, Ile-Ife, Osun state where he obtained a B.Sc, Health Sciences, Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS). Described as the master of parliamentary procedures, Mamora worked as Medical Director of a Medical Centre and a Company Medical Adviser in 1987 – 1998 and 1988 – 1992 respectively. Mamora was also appointed to committees on Upstream Petroleum Resources, Selection Committee, Health, and Federal Character & Inter-Government Affairs while serving as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2007.
In 2015, Mamora also served as the Deputy Director-General of the Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation during the 2015 presidential election
Speaker

Ben Akabueze, Panelist

Director General, Budget Office of the Federation

BEN AKABUEZE is currently the Director General of the Budget Office of the Federation.
Prior to this, he had served for many years as the Honourable Commissioner for Economic Planning & Budget, Lagos State, Nigeria, having first been appointed by Governor Tinubu and then re-appointed for two terms by the then Governor Fashola.
Ben is a distinguished banker, accountant, development economist and administrator, he holds a first class B.Sc degree in Accounting from the University of Lagos and an Advanced Management Programme Certificate from the Lagos Business School.
He has attended several courses/conferences on banking, public finance and leadership in Nigeria and many other countries.
Ben is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA), Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers and Fellow of the Institute of Credit Administrators (FICA).
He has over 23 years experience in Accounting, Consulting and Banking, rising to the apex of the profession as Managing Director/Chief Executive of NAL Bank Plc (2000-2005), and Executive Director - Sterling Bank Plc from January to August 2006.
Ben Akabueze is very passionate about societal transformation and actively participates in programmes designed to bring the desired change in his country. In this respect, he serves on the Boards of the Apostles in the Marketplace, Society for National Transformation, etc.
He also pastors the Redeemed Christian Church of God – The King's Court Parish, with a congregation consisting mainly of professionals and business people.
Ben is the recipient of several academic, professional and community service awards.
Speaker, Panelist

Dr. Chikwe Ikekwazu

Director General NCDC

Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu is the Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and was until January 2018, the Acting Director of the Regional Centre for Disease Control for West Africa. Dr Ihekweazu trained as an infectious disease epidemiologist and has over 20 years' experience working in senior public health and leadership positions in several National Public Health Institutes, including the South African National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), the UK's Health Protection Agency, and Germany's Robert Koch Institute (RKI). Dr Ihekweazu has led several short- term engagements for WHO, mainly in response to major infectious disease outbreaks around the world including the WHO-China Joint Mission on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in February.
Speaker, Panelist

Prof. Mohammed Nasir Sambo

Executive Secretary, NHIS

Prof. Mohammed Nasir Sambo is the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). Before his appointment, he was the Provost, College of Medicine, and Kaduna State University. Prof. Sambo, a Professor of Health Policy and Management, has an enviable academic and operational background in Health Care Financing. He graduated with an MBBS from the University of Jos in 1993, and a distinguished Fellow of the West African College of Physicians (2003), where he was the Best Candidate in the Final Fellowship examination. In the academic wing of his illustrious public service career, Professor Sambo held the positions of Deputy Dean, Faculty of Medicine, and Head, Department of Community Medicine, both at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Prof. Sambo was also prominent in the formative years of the NHIS, having served in the Scheme and attained the level of Assistant Director/Zonal Coordinator in the South West Zone of the Scheme. He was also the Assistant General Manager and Head of HMO Division at the NHIS Headquarters, in Abuja. He was seconded to the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), where he was Assistant Director/Zonal Coordinator, North West Zone of the Agency. He served as a Member of the Ministerial Technical Working Group that developed the National Healthcare Financing Policy, a framework that largely facilitated the formal flag off of NHIS in June 2005 by President Olusegun Obasanjo. He was also a member of the Ministerial Technical Working Groups for the Public Private Partnership Policy on Health, the National Health Strategic Development Plan, and on National Health Policy. Professor Sambo’s scholarly distinction attracted national and international institutions, which engaged him as Consultant or Resource Person for strategic activities, such as the Health Sector Reform Agenda of the Federal Ministry of Health, Blueprint for Accelerating PHC Implementation in Nigeria, National Strategic Framework Development Committee of NACA and the National Health Council of Nigeria. He also worked on several projects with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF)
Speaker, Panelist

Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo

WHO Country Representative to Nigeria

Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo is the World Health Organization (WHO) Country Representative to Nigeria
Speaker, Panelist

Dr. Ibrahim Wada, OON

Founder, NISA Premiere Hospital

Dr. Ibrahim Wada is a Chief Consultant Gynaecologist and Founder/CEO of Nisa Premier Hospital, Garki Hospital, Nisa Pharmaceuticals and Cell Genomics Abuja. He is also the Director of Institute of Medical Sciences Africa (IMSA). He obtained MBBS from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (1980), MRCOG (1988); he also holds FRCOG, FWACS and MBA.
Dr Wada first became a Consultant Gynaecologist at Bourn Hall Clinic Cambridge, the world’s first Fertility & In vitro Fertilization (IVF) Centre, established by Pioneers Steptoe & Edward. He returned to Nigeria in 1994 as Chief Consultant Gynaecologist at Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital. Dr Wada rose to become Director of Clinical Services /CMAC National Hospital Abuja in 2002. He later became the Pioneer Medical Director of Garki Hospital, the first wholesome Public Private Partnership with the Federal Capital Territory.
His other contributions include one of the earliest IVF births in Nigeria, Hanatu who recently graduated with a 1st Class degree from a European University. He has also contributed significantly to the development of Gynaecological Endoscopy in Nigeria.
The Federal Government of Nigeria honoured Dr Wada with the award of Officer of the Order of Niger (OON) in 2006. He is a keen golfer.
Speaker, Panelist

Prof. Kevin Chika Urama

Senior Director, African Development Institute

Prof. Kevin Chika Urama, FAAS is currently the Senior Director of the African Development Institute at the African Development Bank Group, responsible for shaping and leading the bank-wide capacity development in the Regional Member Countries (RMCs) to accelerate delivery of the High 5 priorities of the Bank, the SDGs and Agenda 2063. He is also an elected Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences (AAS); a Distinguished Professor of the University of Nigeria Nsukka; an Extra-Ordinary Professor in the School of Public Leadership, Stellenbosch University, South Africa; an Adjunct Professor at the Sir Walter Murdoch School of Public Policy and International Affairs, Murdoch University, Western Australia; an Expert Partner of the Africa Progress Group Chaired by Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, and was Visiting Professor at the Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy, University College London.
Speaker, Panelist

Dr Ola Brown Orekunrin

MD, Flying Doctors Nigeria

Dr Ola studied medicine and surgery at the Hull York Medical School after which she worked in Acute Medicine in the UK. She then went on to be awarded the Japanese MEXT scholarship which allowed her to further her studies in Tokyo, Japan, the fellowship focused on lab-based research with induced pluripotent stem cells. She is currently completing her Master’s degree in Finance and Economic Policy at the University of London.
Her post-graduate areas of study also include Pre-hospital Emergency care, Healthcare leadership and Healthcare delivery. She has a certificate in Economic policy making from IE business school, Spain and a certificate in Accounting for decision making from the University of Michigan in the United States.
Speaker, Panelist

Prof. Innocent Ujah

President, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA)

Professor Innocent Achanya Otobo UJah is a 64 – year old Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecological Surgeon with the following qualifications; (MBBS (ABU), 1978), Fellow of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria in Obstetrics and Gynaecology (FMCOG, 1988), Postgraduate Diploma in Health Services Management (1992), Honorary fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine, England (1992). Diploma in International Maternal Health Care (1993), Specialist in Gynaecological Endocrinology and Infertility (1987), member, National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPSS ( mni, 1995), Honorary fellow of the International College of Surgeons (FICS 1996),
Professor Ujah’s has vast experience which has seen him occupy a number of key positions such as Director-General, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), National Chairman, and Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Committee on HIV/AIDS.
Speaker, Panelist

Dr. Felix Ogedegbe

MD/CEO, Cedarcrest Hospitals

Dr. Felix Ogedegbe had his medical education at the University of Benin, Benin City. He then proceeded to the National Orthoapedic Hospital Lagos for residency training in orthopedics and thereafter acquired further orthopaedic training in Germany and the United Kingdom.
He combines his role as the Medical Director with an active practice as a consultant orthopaedic surgeon. He has nearly two decades of local and international general and subspecialty orthopaedic experience that has taken him to various countries including Germany, United Kingdom, United States, Switzerland, Egypt and South Africa, among others.
Having previously served as a military orthopaedic surgeon, he has vast experience in orthopaedic trauma and joint replacement surgery. Since coming back home to Nigeria, he has worked with about a dozen internationally trained orthopaedic surgeons to provide highly specialized care.
Speaker, Panelist

Hadiza Khamofu

Country Director, FHI360

Dr. Hadiza Khamofu is the Country Directorof FHI360 for Nigeria.
Speaker, Panelist

Obinnia Abajue

CEO, Hygiea HMO

Obinnia is the Chief Executive Officer of Hygeia HMO. He has more than 20 years of experience in Banking and Financial services primarily in Nigeria. Prior to joining Hygeia HMO, Obinnia was based in South Africa and was in charge of Business Transformation for Standard Bank’s Personal and Business Banking Business in Africa.
Obinnia served as an Executive Director and Head of Personal and Business Banking at Stanbic IBTC Bank. This business encompasses small, medium and commercial business banking, high net worth individuals and personal markets banking. Prior to this, he was the Acting Chief Executive Officer of Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers Limited and Head of Wealth Management for Stanbic IBTC overseeing the Pensions, Asset Management and Trusteeship Business.
Obinnia holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Actuarial Science from the University of Lagos and MBA from Imperial College London. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA), of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (FCIB), and of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers of Nigeria (FCS).
Speaker, Panelist

Dr. Frances Ilika

Country Director, Health Policy Plus

Frances Ilika has expertise in health systems strengthening, including health financing, governance, human resources for health, and service delivery from clinical and public health practice. In her work across several international projects she has facilitated the formulation, legislation, design, implementation, and monitoring of several strategic health systems reforms toward universal health coverage (UHC). Frances’ work experience also includes facilitating the establishment of multisectoral coalitions across the finance, health, and private sectors, parliamentarians, civil society organizations toward UHC and the sustainable development goals. Frances has supported innovations including the Legislative Network for Universal Health Coverage and piloting of several public-private partnership models toward increasing access to universal quality health care.
In her current role, she has progressed efforts towards integration of HIV and tuberculosis into health insurance through policy formulation, stakeholder engagement, and evidence-based decision making. Frances has a degree in medicine from the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nigeria and a master’s degree in public health-health economics from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Speaker, Panelist

Senator Lanre Tejuoso

Chairman, LISDEL

Lanre Tejuoso is a prince of the dynasty of HRM Oba Dr. Adedapo Tejuoso, CON, Karunwi III, Oranmiyan, the Osile of Oke-Ona Egba, and Olori Adetoun Tejuoso. He represented Ogun Center in the 8th National Assembly, and was the Chairman, Senate Committee on Health. Lanre Tejuoso obtained his MBBS from the University of Lagos, Nigeria and later accomplished his specialties in Telemedicine and Medical Computing abroad. He became a doctor at the age of 21, making him one of the youngest doctors in Nigeria.

He is the Chairman of Legislative Advocacy Initiative for Sustainable Development Goals (LISDEL), an advocacy platform incorporated to coordinate activities of the Legislative Network for Universal Health Coverage.

Speaker, Panelist

Olapoju Lanre

Associate Director - Infrastructure, Government and Healthcare Practice, KPMG

Lanre Olapoju is a management and public sector consultant with significant experience in the management of public sector projects. He has a bachelor’s degree (first class) in Civil Engineering from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. His career spans a period of two decades consulting for a Big 4 consultancy in Nigeria across industries such as the public sector, healthcare, trading, banking, healthcare, power and telecoms. He is currently an Associate Director in the Infrastructure, Government and Healthcare practice of KPMG, with specific responsibility for the international development advisory unit.

Lanre’s projects have included assignments in primary healthcare development, universal health coverage, business plans for hospitals, and monitoring and evaluation of health projects.

Speaker, Panelist

Dr. Sanjana Bhardwaj

Chief of Health and HIV for UNICEF Nigeria

Dr. Sanjana Bhardwaj is currently the Chief of Health and HIV for UNICEF Nigeria where her portfolio covers maternal, new born, child and adolescent health and HIV programs including the humanitarian and emergency response. Dr Bhardwaj has over 27 years of experience in the health and development sector in different capacities and roles. She has worked as a clinician serving at primary care, intensive care and tertiary care facilities in rural and urban areas in several States of India, served as a faculty member in the Community Medicine and Public Health department at the University of the West Indies, based in Jamaica , working across 17 English speaking countries in the Caribbean, led the child survival and development portfolio for UNICEF in South Africa and worked and contributed across different countries, like Papua New Guinea, Barbados, Belize, Trinidad and Tobago and the USA.

Dr. Bhardwaj holds an MD – Doctorate in Medicine with specialization in Preventive and Social Medicine from Mumbai University, India, Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from Nagpur University, India, Master’s in Public Health degree in Health Behaviour from University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA and was recently awarded by Distinction, the Fellowship of the Faculty of Public Health, UK

Speaker, Panelist

Dr. Gafar Alawode

Program Director – Prevent Epidemics Project, LISDEL

Dr. Gafar Alawode is a seasoned health system streghening and health financing specialist with more than fifteen years progressive experience acquired through program imple
mentation and technical assistance in developing countries including Nigeria, Liberia and Uganda. Dr. Gafar led process of health financing policy design and he applied political economy knowledge to solve complex health financing problems among other accomplishments. He has led several donor funded initiatives including Global Fund, DFID and USAID funded project as team leader, chief of party and Country Director. He obtained MBBS degree from University of Ilorin, Master in Tropical Medicine from Liverpool Schoool of Tropical Medicine . He was admitted into Membership of UK Faculty of Public Health through distinction.
Speaker, Panelist

Dr. John Adedayo Adedoyin

Director MEL/HIS, Management Sciences for Health

Mr. John Adedayo Adedoyin is the Director MEL/HIS for the Resilient & Sustainable Systems for Health [RSSH] in MSH, Nigeria. He holds a Masters’ degree in Epidemiology and Community Health, with various other certificates of attendance in a number of courses designed to strengthen health systems including Monitoring and Evaluation, Performance management, Procurement (US Federal Acquisition Regulation), Financial management of USAID/CDC awards, Geographic Information Systems. John is an experienced team manager who is also versatile in building M&E capacity. He is an expert in strategic health information, data management and health systems strengthening to drive sustainable positive change.

He has more than 12 years of progressive senior program management experience managing large and complex USAID-funded programs aimed at strengthening health systems (i.e. supply chains, health information management systems, service delivery for HIV/AIDS, family planning/maternal and child health, Tuberculosis, malaria) all of which led to significant positive change in health systems as shown by improved access to care services (to ensure universal coverage); reduced stock out of essential commodities (to prevent program interruption); improved reporting rates from facilities; provision of enabling environment for health service delivery; including building capacity of health care workers to deliver service of desired quality.

Speaker, Panelist

Dr. Bilqis Muhammad

Immediate Past Secretary General, NARD

Event schedule

10:00am

Reprioritising Government Spending on Health: 20 years of Abuja Declaration 2001

This session will evaluate Nigeria’s responsibilities under the African Union Abuja Declaration of 2001 and other workable modes of health financing under the present and foreseeable economic condition of the country.

2:00pm

Building a Resilient Health System: Lessons from Covid-19

This session will examine creative interventions that can be adopted for a more resilient and sustainable health system in Nigeria. It will also assess the performance of primary health centres in Nigeria and the inclusion of rural population in basic health care.

10:00am

Capital Flight and Brain Drain in the Health Sector

This session will examine and proffer interventions to address the impact of medical tourism and brain drain on Nigeria’s health sector and overall economy.

2:00pm

Universal Coverage: Health Insurance and Tax-based Financing

Towards the consensus that health care should be accessible and affordable to all Nigerians, this session will examine the performance of health insurance in Nigeria as against a tax-based financing approach.

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