President Bola Tinubu announced the immediate upgrade of critical health facilities across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. While this initiative carries the potential to improve healthcare access and quality, questions remain regarding its specific scope, funding, and implementation timeline.
The announcement, made through Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity Ajuri Ngelale, aligns with the administration’s stated goal of overhauling the health and social welfare sector. However, the lack of detailed information regarding the specific healthcare facilities targeted for upgrade, the nature of the improvements, and the budget allocated raises concerns about transparency and feasibility.
The statement mentions collaboration between the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA).
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“Upgrading health infrastructure and equipment is a top priority of President Tinubu’s Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative,” the statement reads.
Ngelale said six teaching hospitals across the geo-political zones have been marked for the establishment of oncology and nuclear medicine centres per facility.
The health facilities approved for upgrading 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.
Ngelale added that there will also be 10 critical healthcare service expansion projects across the fields of radiology, clinical pathology, medical and radiation oncology, and cardiac catheterisation that will be carried out in 10 hospitals across all geo-political zones.
They include: 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); 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).
