HFN_Private Sector Response COVID-19_NG

POSITION PAPER25th March, 2020

Contents

2. Background, context setting and objectives

3. Our value proposition

5. Who we are

4. Our prayers

1. Executive summary

Laboratory

Testing

Case

ManagementPrivate Sector

Co-ordination

Executive Summary

The situation now How we want to help

▪ Nigeria has witnessed a steady increase

in COVID-19 cases since recording its first

case in February 2020. Given the country’s

size and the rapid spread of COVID-19

globally, experts indicate that the worst is

yet to come.

▪ Multiple responses are required to stem

the case growth in Nigeria, and we believe

success will require strong collaboration

between government and the private

sector.

▪ Quite critically for instance, the national

testing capacity is low at 100-200 tests

per day, compared to estimated optimal

capacity of 5000 to 10,000 tests per day.

We want to support the NCDC and the Federal Government on multiple response fronts

What we require from the Federal Government

It is most critical today for Nigeria to expand the national testing capacity, and we want to support by:

Healthcare Providers and

Pharmaceuticals

Medical Associations,

Foundations and Research

Institutions

Donor Agencies, Financiers

and Non-Profit

Organisations

Business and Technology

Advisory Services

Medical Equipment and

Technology Providers

Healthcare Providers and

Pharmaceuticals

Medical Associations,

Foundations and Research

Institutions

Donor Agencies, Financiers

and Non-Profit

Organisations

Business and Technology

Advisory Services

Medical Equipment and

Technology Providers

Strengthening Public Sector laboratories through

training, recruitment, equipment & logistics support

1Providing additional testing through network of

Private Laboratories

Logistics &

Supplies

Risk

Communication &

Social Mobilization

2

1. Approve participation of Private Laboratories for COVID-19 testing

2. Prioritize Healthcare Providers Safety through Strategic PPG Purchasing Guarantees

3. Accelerate operationalization of access to finance and concessionary/assured Forex at Official Rates

4. Appropriate Duty Waivers

Data Collection,

Monitoring &

Evaluation

Capacity

Building

Who we

are

Healthcare Federation of

Nigeria (an umbrella body for

Private Sector Healthcare

Business organizations in

Nigeria) + Non-Health Private

Sector

Background, context setting and objectives

NIGERIA’S STATUS

COVID-19 has seen a rapid spread on the global scene, affecting 191/195 countries and claiming more than 24,000 lives

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT SETTING

THE RAPID SPREAD OF COVID-19 ACROSS THE

WORLD

The devastation being caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic is

evident across many nations. The virus has continued to

spread globally, affecting 191/195 countries and claiming

more than 24,000 lives as at 26th March, 2020. Almost

500,000 cases have been confirmed worldwide with China,

Italy and the United States of America holding the highest

number of total cases globally.

THE SITUATION OF COVID-19 IN NIGERIA

The current state of COVID-19 globally and on the Nigerian

scene necessitates a robust and urgent response to address

gaps and contain the pandemic end-to-end. The threat which

corona virus posses to our fragile healthcare system in

Nigeria is glaring and imminent. We see an increase in

confirmed cases, albeit the slow testing rate country wide

which in itself poses a critical problem and a risk to rapid

spread of the pandemic.

GLOBAL NUMBERS

191 countries

affected>500,000 Confirmed

cases

~24,000 deaths

recorded

Source: ncov2019.live (27/03/20) and NCDC Website (27/03/20)

The World Health Organisation conceived an ideal framework for containing the COVID-19 virus across countries

Expand, train, and deploy your health care and public health workforce

Implement a system to find every suspected case at the community level

Ramp up production capacity and availability of testing

Identify, adapt, and equip facilities you will use to treat patients

Develop a clear plan and process to quarantine contacts

Refocus the whole of government on suppressing and controlling COVID-19

The WHO COVID-19 containment framework comprises six key directions to be adopted by countries

1

2

3

4

5

6

Assessing Nigeria’s current COVID-19 coping mechanism vis-à-vis the WHO framework highlights some gaps in Nigeria’s approach

Nigeria currently has only 5 testing

sites in total across all 36 states,

including the FCT, of which not all 5 are

functional

Shortage of well-trained medical personnel

with the required capabilities to test and

treat COVID-19

Between 100-200 persons are tested daily,

which is far from the ideal expected test

numbers of about 5,000-10,000 persons daily,

based on Nigeria’s size and peculiarities.

Shortage of medical equipment and

consumables to treat COVID-19

Containing COVID-19 in Nigeria requires a robust and concerted effort, underpinned by ample resources. Our Objective is to support the NCDC and Government in addressing this

▪ The initial response of NCDC to the outbreak of

the virus in Nigeria and efforts expended so far

are applaudable, especially given unexpected

circumstances and peculiarities of the nation.

▪ A particularly commendable effort by the Nigerian

federal government and by extension, NCDC is

around its implementation of a thorough system

to identify and find every suspected case of the

coronavirus.

▪ To further strengthen efforts of NCDC, the

Healthcare Federation of Nigeria and its Coalition

of Private Sector Partners are poised to assist the

various Government agencies and Public Sector

apparatus in providing a Coordinated Private

Sector Response that works in concert to curtail,

contain and terminate the effect of the

Coronavirus in Nigeria.

Our objective is clear and underpinned with a

fundamental purpose of serving the nation and humanity

at a time so dire.

We will provide support to the federal government and

NCDC through a deliberate collaborative effort.

Our Goal:

1. Collaborate with the Federal Government

of Nigeria to mobilise resources required

to fight Corona virus in Nigeria

2. Coordinate Private Sector technical and

financial contribution towards supporting

the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control

How we intend to provide support

“This epidemic can be pushed back, but only with a collective,

coordinated and comprehensive approach that engages the entire

machinery of government. . .

. . .We are calling on every country to act with speed, scale and

clear-minded determination”.

World Health Organisation

Our Value Proposition

Multiple responses are required for individuals at various stages of exposure to the COVID-19

Healthy Exposed Tested1 2 3

Treated5

Quarantine or Isolated

4

Discharge or Death

6

Point of Entry

Management

Central Co-ordination

Case ManagementSurveillance

Resp

on

se

req

uir

ed

Infection

Prevention &

Control (IPC)

Capacity Building

Risk Communication & Social Mobilization

Logistics & Supplies

Laboratory

TestingEpidemiology

Stages of exposure to COVID-19

Data Collection & Governance, Monitoring & Evaluation

Source: EY analysis

Response areas we plan to support

We will support the NCDC, Federal and State Governments across multiple response fronts

Laboratory Testing

1. Provide World Class Laboratories as additional testing sites across the country

2. Provide Testing Kits and Related Laboratory Materials

3. Support with Import Logistics (Courier/Cargo Flight)

Case Management

Data Collection,

Monitoring &

Evaluation

Capacity Building

Logistics & Supplies

Central Co-ordination

Risk

Communication &

Social Mobilization

2. Recruit critical healthcare personnel for testing and treatment centers

3. Provide Remote Consulting leveraging the Telemedicine Platforms already in existence in the private sector

4. Provide COVID-19 Triage Tool to help patients assess their risk levels and prescribe appropriate next steps

5. Deploy research teams to deliver data and analytics on clinical protocols that are successful in other countries fighting

the pandemic

6. Track and report progress and areas of deficiencies to the established government agencies

7. Train public and private sector laboratory scientists on testing of COVID-19

8. Train critical public health personnel including Respiratory Physicians, Nurses, Anesthetics and ancillary staff to

manage the disease

9. Drive behavioral change at the grass root through sensitization on social media, radio and telecom platforms

10. Provide and coordinate Contact Call Centers leveraging the existing capacities in private sector organizations

11. Provide publicly accessible tool to catalogue isolation and treatment resources for patients and to upskill providers

12. Provide infrastructure, medical equipment , consumables and pharmaceutical products leveraging existing supply

chains in the private sector space for rapid deployment

13. Keep Healthcare Facilities Open & Accessible; Deploy Technology to Facilitate Home Delivery

13. Coordinate Private Sector inputs to avoid unnecessary duplication of efforts in some areas while other needs are

neglected

We will support the NCDC to scale up the nation-wide testing capacity

Strengthen

Capacity of

Public

Sector

Laboratories

A

Globally, private sector participation

in testing has contributed signifi-

cantly to the fight against COVID-19

Number of COVID-19

tests conducted in

South Africa

2,000

Public

Sector

Private

Sector

10,000

Our team will support the Federal Government of Nigeria to expand the national testing capacity in

2 ways

Increase

Testing via

Private

Laboratories

B

1. Private Testing Support: Provide additional laboratories from the Private

Sector to expand the national testing capacity, and support timely testing of

samples and reporting of results

Given its population size,

Nigeria’s testing capacity

is critically low

Optimal testing

capacity

Current testing

capacity

100 – 200

per day

5,000+

per day

Source: Expert Interviews

1. Training: Provide training and technical support to NCDC reference

laboratories and Sentinel sites on specimen collection, packaging,

transportation and testing, as well as on reporting of results to health facilities

and designated public health decision makers

2. Testing Equipment: Supply additional diagnostics equipment to NCDC

reference laboratories including PCR testing machines/kits

3. Recruitment: Support recruitment of critical healthcare personnel for treatment

and testing centers

4. Logistics: Provide access to private sector transportation network for

deployment of samples, lab reagents and consumables to testing centers in

states with epidemic LGAs

Our Prayers

Prayers to Government

Approve Private Laboratories to

conduct testing for COVID-19 and

include selected laboratories in

nation-wide network of testing

centers

Approve Essential Flights and

Expedited Import Clearance for

medical equipment and

consumables plus Duty Concessions

Assure the Safety of Healthcare

Practitioners by Providing Strategic

Purchasing Guarantees for Suppliers

of Personal Protective Equipment

(PPE)

Ensure the provision of resources

for appropriate training for all

healthcare workers who will be

involved in taking care of Covid-19

Accelerate and Simplify

operationalization of CBN/Bank’s

Access to Finance Concessions for

the Pharmaceutical Value Chain:

Manufacturers/Retail Chains &

Pharmaceutical Wholesalers and

Distributors Association of Nigeria

(PWDAN)

1 2 3

Prayers to Government (2)

Government to issue directives to the

Custom Services to grant expedited

clearance of healthcare and

pharmaceutical products in our ports,

as many shipments are waiting at the

ports, to mitigate shortage of essential

drugs.

Additionally, may we request that all

duties and levies on essential

pharmaceuticals and healthcare

equipment be suspended for the next

three months to assure sustainable

supply and pricing stability to the

Nigerians in dire need at this period of

global health emergency

CBN to grant access to foreign

exchange US dollars at the official rate

for LC@s and Urgent transfers We also

need the embargo lifted on transferring

only $10,000 from domicilliary

accounts to ease importation

4 5 6

Who we are

Who we are: Healthcare Federation of Nigeria + Non-Health Private Sector

Healthcare Providers and

Pharmaceuticals

Associations, Foundations and

Research Institutions

Donor Agencies & Financiers

Medical Equipment, Technology

Providers & Safety Products

Business Consulting and

Technology Advisory Services

Thank you

w w w . h f n i g e r i a . c o m

W: www.hfnnigeria.com

Tel: 0803 070 5510

E: hfnnigeria@gmail.com

HEALTHCARE

FEDERATION OF NIGERIA

Account Details

Account Name: Healthcare Federation of Nigeria

Bank: Zenith Bank Plc

Account number: 1013784059

Sort Code: 057150770