An Electronic and Telecommunications Engineer, Dr Onyema Edward, has urged the executive arm of government and the National Assembly to enact legislation for the creation of a Clinical Engineering Directorate (CED) across the Nigerian healthcare system.
Speaking at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) NIGERCON International Conference hosted at the University of Lagos, Dr Edward noted that the proposed legal framework could bolster national medical infrastructure while lowering the country's reliance on overseas treatments.
What are the core objectives of the proposed CED?
According to his presentation paper titled “Policy Framework for Integrating Clinical Engineering Directorates, CED, in the Nigerian Healthcare System: Lessons from the USA, Canada and the United Kingdom,” the initiative aims to tackle persistent problems surrounding the upkeep, administration, and deployment of complex medical apparatus in domestic hospitals.
If implemented by authorities, the directorate would rely on collaborative efforts among specialists such as Biomedical, Software, Electrical and Electronics, Mechanical, and Computer Engineers to foster safe and advanced healthcare delivery.
"Establishing Clinical Engineering Directorates would promote preventive maintenance, improve patient safety, strengthen the capacity of healthcare professionals and ensure more effective utilisation of modern medical equipment," Dr Edward stated during his presentation.
He added that the framework seeks to consolidate scattered clinical engineering personnel under a unified governance structure overseen by the Federal Ministry of Health, federal tertiary health facilities, and state-level health systems.
What are the next steps for the initiative?
To turn the proposal into policy, Dr Edward revealed intentions to collaborate with lawmakers in the incoming 11th National Assembly to sponsor a bill that provides statutory backing for the directorates.
Aside from healthcare reforms, the researcher also spotlighted a separate policy proposal known as the Nigeria Intelligence System Agency (NISA). He explained that NISA is designed to fast-track research, development, educational growth, and the deployment of cutting-edge technologies.
Concluding his address, Dr Edward expressed confidence that both the CED and NISA initiatives hold the potential to foster a digitally advanced, secure, and self-sufficient Nigerian state if properly executed.