Poor coordination across Nigeria’s healthcare system leaves patients and their families navigating referrals, carrying medical records between facilities, and repeatedly explaining their medical histories as they seek treatment.

Addressing these gaps was a central focus of discussions at the 2026 Health Equity Conference, where stakeholders called for stronger referral systems, improved information sharing and clearer responsibility for patients as they move between healthcare providers.

Speaking at the conference, Yemi Ajao, Chief Executive Officer of OneBarrow International Limited, said patients should not have to navigate the gaps between hospitals, laboratories, pharmacies and specialist services without adequate guidance.

Mr Ajao said information and responsibility for care must follow patients as they move between providers, warning that poor communication and weak referral processes could leave them uncertain about where to seek further treatment.

“A patient does not experience healthcare as a collection of professional mandates, institutional departments or organisational charts. A patient experiences a journey,” he said.

He urged stakeholders to identify the institutional and operational barriers preventing patients from receiving coordinated care across different facilities and levels of the health system.

The conference, held from 13 to 15 October, was themed ‘Care Coordination as the Core Engine of Health Equity’. It brought together representatives of government, healthcare institutions, professional associations and other sectors to discuss ways to improve access to healthcare.

Making referrals work

To illustrate the coordination gaps, Mr Ajao presented a patient scenario involving a woman named Amina. He asked participants to consider what happens when a patient is referred from one healthcare provider to another.

He asked whether patients knew where to go after receiving a referral, whether the receiving provider had the information needed to deliver appropriate care, and whether anyone followed up to confirm the referral was completed.

He said these questions should inform decisions about healthcare policies, financing, and technology.

The scenario highlighted the importance of treating care as a connected process rather than a series of isolated encounters with different providers.

When referral information isn’t shared effectively, or follow-up responsibilities are unclear, patients may have to coordinate their own treatment, complicating access to appropriate care.

Mr Ajao said the conference aims to examine patient journeys, institutional responsibilities, financing, partnerships, data, and implementation through plenary discussions and policy laboratories.

He urged participants to recognise the constraints facing institutions while identifying practical measures to improve coordination and continuity of care.

He called for collaboration among government agencies, regulators, healthcare professionals, private organisations and civil society to address gaps in service delivery.

According to him, effective referrals, timely information sharing and clear responsibility for patients’ care could help improve the healthcare experience and restore public confidence in the system.

“National pride grows when people can see their country working for them,” he said.

Reforms must improve patients’ access

Also speaking at the conference, Adijah Elijah, Director of Health Planning, Research and Statistics at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, said government policies and investments must translate into tangible improvements in access to healthcare.

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Mrs Elijah said Nigeria’s commitment to achieving universal health coverage by 2030 would require government institutions, healthcare providers, development partners and communities to work towards shared priorities.

“Health equity is both a moral imperative and a practical investment in Nigeria’s human capital, productivity and sustainable development,” she said.

She identified the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and the Sector-Wide Approach as frameworks for aligning investments, strengthening coordination and improving accountability across the health sector.

However, she said the effectiveness of the health system should not be measured solely by the number of facilities established, the resources committed or the policies adopted.

Rather, she said, progress should also be assessed by whether people could obtain quality healthcare without suffering financial hardship.

Mrs Elijah urged stakeholders to prioritise implementation and measurable improvements in access, particularly for underserved populations.