By Awwal Umar Kontagora The Niger State Private Health Facilities Agency (NiSPHFA) has said it is strengthening its regulatory f...
The Niger State Private Health Facilities Agency (NiSPHFA) has said it is strengthening its regulatory framework to improve the quality, safety and accountability of private healthcare services through strategic partnerships and the adoption of best practices.
The Executive Chairman of the Agency, Dr. Abdullahi Suleiman, stated this during a peer review and learning visit by the Agency's management team to the Private Health Institutions Management Agency (PHIMA) in Kano State.
According to him, the visit was designed to understudy PHIMA's regulatory processes, operational strategies and innovations for possible adaptation in Niger State.
Dr. Suleiman said although NiSPHFA was established on May 5, 2025, it has made significant progress within its first 120 days, including the deployment of an online registration platform for private health facilities.
He noted that the learning visit reflects the Agency's commitment to continuous improvement and its determination to ensure quality healthcare services for residents of Niger State.
The Executive Chairman commended the management of PHIMA for its hospitality and willingness to share its experiences, describing collaboration and peer learning as essential to building an effective regulatory system that protects patients and promotes high standards among private healthcare providers.
In her presentation, the Acting Director-General of PHIMA, Mrs. Khadija Sa'id, described the regulation of private healthcare institutions as a demanding but essential responsibility requiring professionalism, integrity and commitment.
She praised NiSPHFA for the progress it has recorded within a short period of its establishment and urged the Agency to sustain the momentum by prioritising effective field operations, transparency and accountability.
Mrs. Sa'id also advised NiSPHFA to strengthen collaboration with security agencies, including the Police and the Department of State Services (DSS), during enforcement operations.
She further recommended the adoption of a fully digital payment system to eliminate cash transactions and ensure that all payments are made directly into government accounts to enhance transparency.
The Acting Director-General highlighted PHIMA's use of QR code-enabled certificates to prevent forgery and explained that the Agency regulates traditional and alternative medicine practitioners through a dedicated desk and a steering committee that promotes collaboration among healthcare providers.
She also encouraged NiSPHFA to engage traditional birth attendants through regular training on safe delivery practices, family planning and appropriate referral systems, noting that such collaboration would improve maternal and child health outcomes, particularly in underserved communities.
Mrs. Sa'id further called for stronger collaboration with professional bodies, including the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), while emphasising the need to prioritise staff welfare, inspection incentives and regular supportive supervision to improve professionalism, efficiency and accountability.
Also speaking, PHIMA's Director of Nursing Services, Aisha Garba, and Director of Medical Services, Dr. Suleiman Ibrahim, took the visiting delegation through the Agency's inspection procedures and regulatory standards.
As part of efforts to deepen institutional collaboration, NiSPHFA presented copies of its Regulation and Registration Guidelines to PHIMA.
The visit is expected to strengthen NiSPHFA's capacity to regulate private health facilities more effectively, with the goal of improving healthcare quality and patient safety across Niger State.
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