Polaris Bank, Nigeria’s leading retail bank, has been recognised as the “Outstanding Healthcare Financial Institution of the Year” by the Nigeria Healthcare Excellence Awards (NHEA).

The award presentation, which took place in the bank’s head office in Lagos on Tuesday, was presented in recognition of the bank’s contribution to the healthcare sector as part of the highpoints of the 8th Annual Nigeria Healthcare Excellence Awards (NHEA) which held over the weekend in Lagos.

The Chairman of the Advisory Board of NHEA, Dr. Anthony Omolola, who presented the award canvassed for support; both in terms of funding and the establishment of a system of empowering healthcare providers with trainings on the business of managing healthcare where doctors can be taken through modules on finance, credit balance, operations and reconciliation that will assist them run their medical facilities profitably.

Omolola noted that the Polaris Bank’s intervention in Nigeria’s healthcare system is urgently needed, adding that, “A huge number of almost 70% of Nigeria’s population access the primary health centers where their health cases get sorted at that level.”

Reacting to the award presentation, Polaris Bank Managing Director/CEO, Innocent C. Ike, stated that, “As a bank, we stand for excellence, and in any sphere of life or part of the economy where you see our involvement or presence, it is driven by the fact that we see an opportunity to add value and support the growth of that sector. We are primarily motivated by the impact of our work not awards, but we deeply appreciate recognitions such as the one from NHEA. Indeed, we cherish it and are motivated to do more.”

According to Mr. Ike, “In the first two to three years as a company and brand, especially at the period Covid-19 broke out, we saw the pandemic as an existential threat that made us extend support to Nigeria's healthcare sector with other like-minded organisations, while commending medical practitioners whom we could say were literally taking the bullets for us.”

The CEO used the opportunity to pledge that Polaris Bank will work with NHEA to understand the needs of players in the primary and secondary healthcare segments to see what we can do together.

On his part, Dr. Olaokun Soyinka, a former Health Commissioner in Ogun State and a member, NHEA Advisory Board however noted that, “Any of us who have accessed healthcare of late and look at what has been expended would understand that it is difficult for average Nigerians to access healthcare with what they earn. So please put good money behind the growth of the sector following the huge gap noticed in healthcare delivery by the outbreak of Covid-19.

On how the award recipients emerged, the Director of Marketing, Communication and Strategy, NHEA, Mr. Moses Braimah, said: “The awardees emerged through a rigorous process involving essentially nomination and voting. The exercise is then subjected to a verification team that carries out independent research and intelligence gathering over an organisation’s history of contribution to the health sector.”

NHEA is an initiative of Global Health Projects and Resources in collaboration with Anadach Group of the United States of America. It is an annual event where individuals and organisations are recognised and celebrated for their exceptional contributions to the healthcare sector.

Polaris Bank has committed billions of naira to Nigeria’s healthcare sector; providing access to finance, capacity building and technology platforms to assist build a robust ecosystem. A good example is being a funding partner of the major equipment for the establishment of Marcelle Ruth Cancer Center.

Polaris Bank, adjudged the Digital Bank of the Year, is a future-determining and digitally-driven Bank committed to delivering industry-defining products to individuals and businesses.

•PHOTO: Polaris Bank MD/CEO, Innocent C.Ike (Middle), receiving the NHEA Health Excellence Award from NHEA Advisory Board Chairman &, Dr. Anthony Omolola (4th from left) & Dr. Olaokun Soyinka (3rd from left) joined by Polaris Bank’s ED, Lagos Business, Segun Opeke (1st left) & Moses Braimah, Director NHEA Marketing, Communication & Strategy

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