State House Physician Joins Initiative to Improve Patient-Doctor Communication

State House Physician Joins Initiative to Improve Patient-Doctor Communication

A physician at the State House Medical Centre, Agbor Neji Ebuta, has been appointed to the advisory board of the Healthcare Communication Initiative (HCI), an organisation promoting stronger communication between patients and healthcare providers in Nigeria.

The appointment places Ebuta in the leadership structure of HCI’s flagship programme, the Patient–Doctor Forum Nigeria, a platform aimed at improving dialogue, trust and understanding between patients and medical professionals.

HCI was founded by family physician and author Temitope Oyetunji to address long-standing communication gaps within Nigeria’s healthcare system that often affect patient experience, treatment adherence and overall health outcomes.

Announcing the appointment, Oyetunji said Ebuta’s professional experience would strengthen the organisation’s efforts to promote effective healthcare communication.

“Dr. Ebuta’s experience in clinical practice and health systems leadership will provide important guidance as we work to strengthen dialogue between patients and healthcare providers,” she said.

According to the organisation, the Patient–Doctor Forum Nigeria seeks to empower patients with clearer health information while equipping medical professionals with communication and empathy skills needed to improve healthcare interactions.

Ebuta, who brings more than two decades of clinical and public service experience to the role, is also co-founder of the Medical Initiative for Africa, a non-governmental organisation focused on expanding healthcare access in underserved communities across the continent.

Before joining the State House Medical Centre in 2010, he served as a clinical adviser to PFD Nigeria.

Speaking on his new role, Ebuta stressed that communication remains central to effective healthcare delivery.

“Effective healthcare begins with trust, communication, and a system that places the patient’s voice at the centre of care,” he said.

The organisation is currently preparing to host the inaugural National Patient–Doctor Forum in Abuja later this year, with discussions expected to focus on improving patient engagement and strengthening collaboration between caregivers and healthcare providers across Nigeria.