Dr Mrs Funmilola Mapayi, Chief Executive Officer of Total Care, Ibadan, Oyo State, has urged healthcare business owners in Nigeria to prioritise financial discipline, operational efficiency, quality service delivery and client trust to ensure sustainability amid the country’s economic challenges.
Mapayi gave the advice while speaking as the guest speaker at a bi-monthly Zoom meeting and workshop organised by the Lagos State chapter of the Guild of Medical Laboratory Directors (GMLD) on Thursday. The workshop was themed “Healthcare Business Sustainability in Nigeria.”
She described healthcare business sustainability as the ability to maintain clinical excellence, financial stability and organisational effectiveness, noting that these elements were essential for healthcare businesses to remain viable and deliver quality services.
According to her, the long-term survival of any business depends largely on the strength of its foundation, leadership structure, vision and planning from inception.
She stressed the need for healthcare entrepreneurs to establish their businesses on sound principles, prioritise professional practice and develop sustainable operational strategies.
Mapayi identified cash flow challenges, unreliable power supply, workforce constraints and the difficulty of earning and maintaining clients’ trust as some of the major obstacles confronting healthcare businesses in Nigeria.
She also highlighted energy and infrastructure deficits, talent retention and patients’ ability to afford healthcare services as key realities that operators must address to remain competitive in the country’s challenging business environment.
To overcome these challenges, she encouraged healthcare professionals to embrace what she described as the pillars of a durable healthcare business, including financial discipline, process efficiency, trust and strategic partnerships, quality assurance and patient safety.
She emphasised that sustainable healthcare delivery required more than clinical expertise, urging business owners to adopt sound management practices and create systems that support efficiency, accountability and consistent service delivery.
The guest speaker commended the Lagos State chapter of GMLD for organising the workshop, describing it as timely and educational, particularly at a period of economic uncertainty when healthcare professionals need practical strategies to keep their businesses afloat.
In her welcome address, the Chairman of GMLD, Lagos State chapter, Mrs Chinelu Macdoris, urged members to be strategic and deliberate in managing their businesses.
Macdoris emphasised the importance of building professional relationships and collaborations to improve performance and strengthen healthcare service delivery.
She also called on medical laboratory professionals to uphold high standards of professionalism, noting that ethical practice and quality service were critical to sustaining their businesses and maintaining public confidence.
The President of the Health Care Federation of Nigeria (HCFN), Dr Mrs Ndidi, also commended GMLD for its commitment to professionalism and uprightness despite the prevailing economic difficulties in the country.
She encouraged members to remain focused on delivering quality services, strengthen collaboration among healthcare professionals and take advantage of available financing opportunities to support their businesses.
The HCFN president cited a financial opportunity previously made available to members through First City Monument Bank (FCMB) last year, urging healthcare business owners to explore similar opportunities to improve their financial capacity and support business growth.
She expressed optimism about the future of healthcare businesses in Nigeria, stressing that collaboration, professionalism and a commitment to quality would help practitioners navigate current challenges and build resilient enterprises.
Dr Ndidi also looked forward to seeing members at the guild’s national conference scheduled for April 2027.
The workshop underscored the growing need for healthcare professionals in Nigeria to combine clinical competence with effective business management, strategic partnerships and financial planning to ensure the long-term sustainability of healthcare services.