The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Professor Kayode O. Adebowale, mni, FAS, fspsp, has charged healthcare providers, including clinicians, academia, policy makers, professional bodies and funders to ignite a renewed commitment to providing cutting-edge healthcare services, urging them to embed trustworthy evidence in the heart of the Nigerian Healthcare ecosystem.
He gave this charge while delivering an opening remark at a one-day research and capacity strengthening workshop on global health policy and guideline development organised by the Faculty of Nursing, University of Ibadan.
Professor Adebowale noted that in the era of information overload, where health misinformation spreads faster than evidence, the need for trustworthy, accessible and contextually relevant clinical guidelines has never been more urgent.
He explained that Nigeria's healthcare system grapples with complex challenges from both resource constraints and workforce gaps to the burden of both infectious and non-communicable diseases, adding that relying on anecdotes, outdated practices, or guidelines developed for vastly different settings is not merely ineffective, but can be dangerous.
The Vice-Chancellor asserted that the 21st century reality demands that healthcare providers bridge the gap between global knowledge and local realities while striving for a future where every clinical decision, from the bustling teaching hospital to the remote primary health centre is guided by the best possible evidence, tailored for the masses.
He, therefore, advocated high-quality clinical guidelines grounded in rigorous, locally relevant evidence and developed through transparent, inclusive processes to elevate patient outcomes, empower practitioners, optimise resources, combat misinformation and guide policy and investment.
Professor Adebowale reiterated that the University of Ibadan, being Nigeria's premier university and a cradle of medical excellence in Africa, recognises its profound responsibility in contributing to the knowledge base of healthcare services and implementing best practices through its researchers and clinicians.
He stated that the workshop underscored the university’s commitment to fostering dialogue, collaboration, and critical thinking necessary to develop, disseminate, and effectively utilise trustworthy guidelines across Nigeria's diverse health landscape.
He commended the Faculty of Nursing for hosting such a timely, critical, and pivotal discourse on a subject fundamental to the future of healthcare in Nigeria.
The Keynote Speaker and a Visiting Professor to the Faculty, Professor Opeyemi Babatunde explained that guidelines are systematically developed, evidence-based, statement/recommendations which allow providers, recipient and other stakeholders to make informed decisions about appropriate health interventions.
She said health guidelines include recommendations that are intended to optimise healthcare services, which are informed by a systematic review of evidence and an assessment of the desirable and undesirable consequences of alternative options.
The Keynote Speaker charged governmental health departments, professional organisations, and health-based non-governmental organisations to embrace town-gown collaborations for pioneering guideline development to improve the quality of healthcare delivery in Nigeria.
The keynote address was titled "Knowledge Translation and Evidence-informed Policymaking."
The Dean, Faculty of Nursing, Professor Prisca Adejumo had earlier appreciated the Vice-Chancellor and the University management for the long-standing support to the Faculty of Nursing and the profession of nursing at large.
She stated that the workshop was carefully designed to kick-start the 60th anniversary of Nursing as an academic field of study in the University of Ibadan and to support researchers, scholars, clinicians, and policymakers in strengthening local capacities for the development and implementation of evidence-based policies and guidelines within Nigeria’s healthcare system.
The Dean noted that the disconnect between research and practice has led to a situation where many healthcare services are not guided by structured, evidence-based guidelines and the absence of such frameworks often results in fragmented, inconsistent, and sometimes ineffective care delivery, posing challenges not only for healthcare providers but also for the patients and communities.
She said it was not enough for guidelines to be evidence-based; rather, they must also be current, coherent, context-sensitive, and applicable to real-world settings.
Members of the UI management team, Oyo State Commissioner for Health, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Dr Ayinde Akintunde, Zonal Director, World Health Organisation, Dr Isiaka Ayodeji and State Coordinator, World Health Organisation, Dr Zonto Philip participated in the workshop.
Also, representatives of the Directors of Nursing Service of the Oyo State Hospitals Management Board and the Ministry of Health, Mrs Sofoluwe Adepeju and Miss Abioye Beatrice Atinuke respectively; a former Director of Nursing Service, University College Hospital, primary care officials, NGOs, staff and students of the faculty participated in the workshop, which also featured break-out sessions and a discussion panel session.
The theme of the One-Day Workshop was "Trustworthy Evidence for Clinical Practice: The Value of Guidelines in 21st Century Nigeria."
Credit: UI DIRECTORATE OF PUBLIC COMMUNICATION
