HLA deepens capacity of health professionals
In a bid to transform the country’s healthcare sector, Healthcare Leadership Academy (HLA), a platform that build capacity in the industry, has graduated 58 professionals in its Healthcare Executives Leadership Program (HELP) and its Patient-Centred Care (PCC) programme.
The health professionals were trained to provide world-class leadership and service delivery in the country’s healthcare sector.
“The academy seeks to drive transformative changes in healthcare professionals and does so by harnessing and nurturing their leadership potential, instituting within them a culture of accountability and continuous quality improvement, and equipping them with the skills, tools and capabilities they require to fully expand into their roles and catalyse system wide changes” said Kelechi Ohiri, founder of the HLA and CEO, Health Strategy and Delivery Foundation (HSDF) during the graduation ceremony in Lagos recently.
Ohiri reminded the graduands of the vision, mission of the HLA and their role in achieving transformation and change in the Nigeria’s healthcare system.
Speaking at the event, Akinwunmi Ambode, Executive Governor of Lagos State, who was represented by Jide Idris, Commissioner of Health, commended the effort and congratulated the leadership of the HLA for its vision in developing the next generation of healthcare leaders with the requisite skills and capabilities to positively transform and improve health outcomes and wellbeing.
“You have a responsibility to diligently apply the knowledge acquired to take healthcare service delivery to the next level,” Idris said.
The commissioner also stated that the need for a sustained training programme to regularly update medical personnel on global trends in the medical world cannot be overemphasised.
“Any amount of investment made in the procurement of sophisticated health equipment will amount to monumental waste if it is not complemented by a well-trained pool of medical workforce,” he further stated.
Hala Daggash, executive lead, HLA, stated that crucial to the success of the HLA is the ability of the HLA’s Alumni to successfully translate their developed capabilities into their respective fields and spheres of influence in meaningful and impactful ways.
“It is therefore imperative that the HLA successfully engages with its Alumni and provides them with opportunities for networking, collaboration and capacity building, empowering them on their journey to becoming change catalysts” said Daggash.
Clare Omatseye, president, Healthcare Federation of Nigeria (HFN), while advising the graduands said that against all odds they should endeavour to succeed.
“It is important we realise where we are coming from, there are something we are proud of in our country, but healthcare seem not to be always in that top notch, as a new generation of changing agents and leaders in healthcare, it is vital to help make a difference in our dear country,” Omatseye.
Also speaking, Muhammad Ali Pate, CEO, Big Win Philanthropy and a board member of HLA, said “in whatever state you find yourself, I charge you to exercise leadership.”
The graduation ceremony also serves as a platform for the launch of the HLA alumni association which primarily purpose to increase the connection between the HLA and its alumni.
ANTHONIA OBOKOH