Over the years, it has been identified that a gap exists in quality of care and services provided by both private and public healthcare institutions as well as individual healthcare practitioners in Nigeria. A few attempts have been made to address this quality gap nationally but not much progress has been made. In 1990, Late Professor Ransome-Kuti, then Minister for Health set up a committee on Quality Assurance in Private Health sector but not much progress had been made to address the issue of quality in healthcare service provided in Nigeria.
With the introduction of managed care and Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) in Nigeria as a way of making healthcare more affordable to Nigerians, improved quality of care and services is being demanded by the enrollees who have signed up and the HMOs are being held accountable for the quality of care provided by their network providers. A few organizations have since implemented stand alone quality initiatives in the absence of a coordinated effort.
What currently exists is a patchwork of efforts to improve healthcare quality which leaves many gaps in the system. There needs to be a coordinated effort to improve health outcomes, increase confidence in the healthcare sector, as well as reduce the cost of providing care. It is also very evident that a lot of collaboration is required amongst the stakeholders in the healthcare sector in Nigeria, including Hospitals, both private and public healthcare providers, practitioners, public and private purchasers, labor unions, HMOs, Government, as well as experts towards standardization.
A group of healthcare professional came together in 2003 to promote the idea of a non government organization being registered to drive this initiative and take the discussion of quality in healthcare to wider platform.
The Society for Quality in Healthcare in Nigeria was subsequently incorporated in May 2006 as a not-for-profit, charitable organization which has multidisciplinary involvement and governed by a constitution, with its focus to bring about a wider understanding and acceptance of Quality in Healthcare towards improved patient outcomes and reduction in healthcare delivery costs. This will also be a platform to share best practice and successful strategies.
Mission
To lead, advocate and facilitate the continuous improvement of quality and safety in healthcare in Nigeria through Education, Collaboration, Training & Accreditation.
Values
- Learning
- Collaboration
- Supportiveness
- International standards
- Efficiency