NHIA's Dr Kelechi Ohiri Advocates Evidence-Based Health Innovations

At the 2026 Future of Health Conference organized by Nigeria Health Watch in Abuja, stakeholders including policymakers, health professionals, and researchers emphasized the need for an evidence-based approach to healthcare innovation. Dr Kelechi Ohiri, the Director-General of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), stated that healthcare innovations should be supported by local research to guide their adoption and implementation.

He revealed that the NHIA is developing a health technology assessment process to evaluate innovations' relevance and value to Nigeria's health system. Additionally, the NHIA has partnered with Nigeria Health Watch to create a research platform for independent researchers to address healthcare delivery issues.

Vivianne Ihekweazu, Managing Director of Nigeria Health Watch, noted that the conference aimed to explore scalable innovations for health challenges, including maternal health and digital health. The conference also featured discussions on vaccine trials and showcased initiatives like Project HOPE's point-of-care ultrasound services for maternal healthcare.