AHES to revolutionize the healthcare sector in African

Africa Healthcare Extension Summit (AHES) is a cross industry international platform initiated and pioneered by Thought Leaders across Asia, Middle East, Africa and Europe.

A unique platform formulated by industry experts for the industry experts, to present innovative approaches, technologies, services and products that deal with challenges. The experts also share solutions that will enable the industry to continue its essential operations while maintaining the highest levels of health care standards.

The platform aims at creating an international community and gather government officials and healthcare leaders and professionals to provide an inside access to what works today and future trends that will shape and revolutionize the healthcare sector in the African region.

One of the health sector stakeholders from Tanzania that will participate in this year Africa Healthcare Extension Summit is Sanitas hospital which will be represented by its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr Murthy Venkateswaran.

In an interview with The Citizen ahead of the occasion, Mr Murthy Venkateswaran from Sanitas Hospital had this to say;

What has prompted your participation to this Summit? And what it means for you to be there?

It is a platform for Sanitas Hospital to let the world know what we do in a particular field of medicine that is unique to us.

To what extent, shall this Summit help to foster health sector development in East Africa region?

Hopefully, to a significant extant.

Who are eligible to attend in this Summit?

Senior industry leaders and stakeholders.

How long is this Summit expected to run? And where does it take place?

The conference will be held in Nairobi, Kenya on June 26 and 27 this year.

Is this your first time to attend this Summit? If no, tell us the experience of the Summit?

Yes, this is my first time.

How Sanitas hospital is going to benefit from this Summit prior to your representation in Nairobi?

Benefits may not be “prior” to the event.  But at the event, there would be osmosis of knowledge between participants that would leave everyone enriched.  I am not necessarily going there for Sanitas Hospital to benefit.

We shall certainly learn many things.  But I would be happy if the participants benefit from hearing the Sanitas’ experience in the management of Lymphoedema the way we do and adopt these methods themselves.

We are, perhaps, the only institution in Tanzania offering treatment for unfortunate people suffering from lymphedema.  We have actually saved people from committing suicide; we have given them a new hope in life and helped young girls get happily married.

What is the theme of this year’s Africa Healthcare Extension Summit?  And what is its key agenda?

Constructing the future of healthcare in Africa.

Access to healthcare service is a vexed question to large population of Africans. How this year’s Summit could help to tackle such protracted challenge?

There has consistently been an incremental improvement in the availability and access to health care for more and more people.  Governments, private institutions and NGOs are all doing their bit to improve the situation and make healthcare both affordable and accessible to the larger community.

We at Sanitas are eager to expand affordable, international standards healthcare all over Tanzania.  We are facing some challenges that, hopefully, would get addressed so that the people in Tanzania may enjoy quality health care. This year’s summit is another step in this direction.

Various reports show that this is one of the events that effectively connect innovation among medical practices across Africa. With your experience, how should African governments use this opportunity to address challenges associated with provision of health care?

Almost all Health Summits attract manufacturers from all over the world exhibiting latest technology and products that they make.  Hospitals are always keen to buy many of these products.  African governments can facilitate such procurements by doing one or more of the following:

1. Make soft loans available with urgency and without stress on brick & mortar collateral.  A viable business should be supported on the institution’s integrity rather than on collateral

2. Remove all tariffs – duty, VAT, excise and so on on imported medical facilities.  These equipment help save lives.  Why tax the buyer who is only going to use them to save lives?

What distinguishes Africa Healthcare Extension Summit from other healthcare regional summits?

I have only attended two summits in London and one in Nairobi.  Both London summits were exceptionally professionally organized; start and finish times are strictly observed; people stay within their allotted times for speeches etc.  In the Nairobi one, that was not the case.  However, let’s see how this one is conducted.  Information-wise all summits are well attended and exhibited.

Every summit carries a theme to fulfil the expected goals; African Healthcare Innovation Summits aim at advancing healthcare provision across Africa region, technology, scientific papers and researches which are presented in these summits are meant to address issues arising in the continent of Africa.

What message would you wish to share to all Tanzanians and key medical players ahead of this Summit?

Tanzanian Health industry leaders would do well to attend at least one such event and judge for themselves if they find it valuable.  They are very likely to come back with at least some nugget of information or knowledge that would elevate their present services to a higher level

Tanzania must step up in providing quality health services. Addressing challenges arising in the health industry today requires innovative, technological and scientific approaches. Healthcare stakeholders; government, private health sector and all must come together and join hands to find the ultimate solutions to challenges emerging in the healthcare industry.

We must accept the modern technology in medicines, address financial constraints across health sector and promote and encourage those investing in the healthcare industry, support them and create a friendly environment to ease healthcare industry operations in Tanzania.