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President Bola Tinubu has approved the immediate upgrade of key health infrastructure and equipment across all the six geo-political zones of the country.
A statement issued on Friday by Ajuri Ngelale, special adviser to the President (Media & Publicity), said the move was 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,” it added.
The statement informed that to advance “this landmark effort,” the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in collaboration with the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) would carry out the comprehensive upgrade of cancer-treatment infrastructure and other critical developments in six tertiary hospitals across several geo-political 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.
It further disclosed that six teaching hospitals across geo-political zones had been marked for the establishment of oncology and nuclear medicine centres per facility “as part of President Tinubu’s bid to ensure that world class cancer diagnosis and care is accessible across the country.”
The universities, according to Ngelale, included 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.
It also noted that critical health care service projects across had also been earmarked for expansion in the fields of radiology, clinical pathology, medical and radiation oncology, and cardiac catheterization in 10 hospitals across all geo-political zones.
The statement listed them as 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: Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto — (Diagnostic and intervention radiology, clinical pathology, and cardiac catheterization), and South-West: University College Hospital, Ibadan — (Diagnostic and intervention radiology, clinical pathology, and cardiac catheterization).
Others are South-South: University of Uyo Teaching Hospital — (Radiology and clinical pathology), 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).
It added the projects would be delivered within 12-18 months and “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, in accordance with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.”
