PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has approved the immediate upgrade of 16 key health infrastructure and equipment across all six geo-political zones in the country.
This, according to a statement by the President’s media aide, Ajuri Ngelale, is in line with his administration’s vision of overhauling the health and social welfare sector for enhanced service delivery to all Nigerians.
“Upgrading health infrastructure and equipment is a top priority of President Tinubu’s Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative.
“To advance this landmark effort, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in collaboration with the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) will carry out the comprehensive upgradation of cancer-treatment infrastructure and other critical developments in six tertiary hospitals across several geopolitical zones, in addition to the full renovation and expansion of prior investments to improve broad-based access to high-quality healthcare in all six geo-political zones of the federation,” the statement read in part.
Six teaching hospitals across the six geo-political zones which have been marked for the establishment of oncology and nuclear medicine centres per facility include the University of Benin Teaching Hospital; Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital; University of Nigeria (Nsukka) Teaching Hospital; Federal Teaching Hospital, Katsina; University of Jos Teaching Hospital and Lagos University Teaching Hospital.
Also, critical healthcare service expansion projects across the fields of radiology, clinical pathology, medical and radiation oncology, and cardiac catheterization will be carried out in ten hospitals across all geo-political zones.
Where these expansions would take place are North-West: Reference Hospital, Kaduna — (Radiology, clinical pathology, medical and radiation oncology); South-East: Medical Diagnostic Centre Complex, Enugu — (Radiology, clinical pathology, medical & radiation oncology); North-West: Usman Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto — (Diagnostic and intervention radiology, clinical pathology, and cardiac catheterization); South-West: University College Hospital, Ibadan — (Diagnostic and intervention radiology, clinical pathology, and cardiac catheterization) and South-South: University of Uyo Teaching Hospital — (Radiology and clinical pathology).
Others are North-East: Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi — (Radiology and clinical pathology); South-South: Federal Medical Centre, Asaba — (Radiology and clinical pathology); North-Central: Harmony Advanced Diagnostic Centre Complex, Ilorin — (Radiology and clinical pathology); North-Central: Jos University Teaching Hospital — (Radiology and clinical pathology) and North-East: Federal Medical Centre, Nguru — (Radiology and clinical pathology).
Ngelale noted that these critical projects, set to be delivered within 12-18 months, will improve screening and diagnostics for communicable and non-communicable diseases; reduce mortality rates and improve outcomes for non-communicable diseases; create considerable employment opportunities for clinical, administrative, and managerial personnel across Nigeria’s six geo-political zones, all while building the capacity of clinical personnel in advanced procedures, diagnostics and treatment modalities.
