Insights from Dr. Oyebanji Filani’s Session at IASPHARMA 2024.
Dr. Oyebanji Filani, Hon. Commissioner for Health, Ekiti State, emphasized the fundamental principle of trust in effective healthcare delivery and its crucial role in building a robust clinical trial ecosystem in Africa during an interview at the Impact Africa Summit 2024.
He stated, “Patient retention is not a new practice. People stay where they’ve built trust.” Highlighting the importance of prioritizing trust through clear and transparent communication at every stage of the process.
Dr. Filani advocated for demonstrating success throughout the journey, not just at the end, and empowering patients to become advocates by sharing their success stories. He asserted that “part of building that trust is explanation,” requiring clarity and elucidation of every step in the process.
He noted the Nigerian government’s increasing efforts to structure collaborations for unified messaging and commended the private sector, particularly organizations like Xcene Research, for facilitating crucial engagements like the Impact Africa Summit, which foster collaboration and drive innovation.
Dr. Filani stressed the paramount importance of collaboration between government, the private sector (pharmaceuticals, researchers, academics, laboratory operators, and technicians), and associations (pharmaceutical and laboratory technician associations) to create value within the system. He highlighted the necessity of both vertical and horizontal collaboration to address the complex challenges facing African healthcare.
He also observed the “quality of the present leadership we currently have at the sub-national level” within the panel session for commissioners of health, noting the commitment and conviction of his colleagues to drive results. He pointed to the “unbelievable level of focus in getting things done” over the past four years, with tangible results reflected in the latest Nigeria Demographics and Health Survey, NDHS 2023-2024 data.
Dr. Filani expressed optimism for the 2025 Impact Africa Summit, anticipating measurable milestones to celebrate. He positioned the summit as a “call to action” to build trust, drive collaboration, and transform African healthcare.
Looking ahead, IAS 2025 will build on the importance of patient retention and trust-building, emphasize the critical role of collaboration across all sectors, showcasing the strong leadership within African healthcare, with the theme: “Integrating African Voices: Strengthening Capacity in Clinical Trials through Local Engagement and Global Partnerships Across Sub-Saharan Africa.”
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