Nairobi: Cassona Healthcare has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the development of healthcare infrastructure across West Africa. The company announced its comprehensive approach, which includes equipment maintenance, sustainability measures, and training programs aimed at local biomedical engineers, doctors, nurses, and other health professionals to ensure skills transfer from expatriate specialists.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr. John Chigbu, the Chief Executive Officer of Cassona Healthcare, expressed his optimism following President John Dramani Mahamas recent call for stronger Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to bolster Ghanas healthcare system. Mr. Chigbu emphasized that Cassona shares the Presidents perspective on the limitations of public funding and the crucial role of private sector engagement in delivering effective healthcare services.
Cassona has proactively submitted healthcare infrastructure proposals to key ECOWAS stakeholders, including the Lagos State Government, Niger State Government, Kaduna State Government, and national governments in Benin and Senegal. Mr. Chigbu highlighted that these proposals are designed to address the need for equipping hospitals while alleviating the financial burden on government resources through PPP arrangements.
Since 2022, Cassona has expanded its operations from merely supplying medical equipment to encompassing hospital design and construction, equipment supply, maintenance, training, and financing solutions. The companys operational strategy places significant emphasis on knowledge transfer, with expatriate specialists actively training local physicians, radiologists, and biomedical engineers.
Additionally, Cassona offers credit-financing options to support the sustainability of its projects. On the aspect of hospital administration, Mr. Chigbu advocated for the engagement of professional hospital management firms to enhance financial sustainability by introducing accountability, efficiency, and oversight of revenue. He noted that such management models enable hospitals to function as self-sustaining entities while delivering quality care.
Mr. Chigbu also acknowledged President Mahamas views on hospital management, describing them as refreshing and forward-looking. He underscored the necessity for the region to tackle the issue of losing skilled medical professionals and to curtail spending on outbound medical treatments.
In his statement, Mr. Chigbu expressed Cassonas eagerness to collaborate with all governments across ECOWAS-both Francophone and Anglophone-to actualize this vision. He emphasized the companys commitment to leveraging its experience in Ghana and across West Africa, driven by a strong belief in the regions promising future. Cassona has already installed over 200 diagnostic imaging systems throughout ECOWAS and employs more than 50 local professionals at its Accra headquarters in Ghana. Plans are in place to recruit additional staff in Lagos and Dakar by 2026 as part of its regional expansion strategy.