By Kazeem Ugbodaga
President Bola Tinubu on Friday commissioned a series of new and upgraded healthcare facilities across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, in what the Federal Government described as the largest single-day unveiling of health infrastructure in the nation’s history.
The projects, commissioned as part of activities marking the third anniversary of the Tinubu administration, span specialist hospitals, emergency response systems, primary healthcare centres, immunisation hubs and medical laboratories aimed at strengthening healthcare delivery nationwide.
Among the flagship projects inaugurated by the President was the newly completed Bola Tinubu Specialist Complex at the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, Abuja. The two-storey facility is equipped with eight consulting rooms, twin theatre suites, specialised Ophthalmology and Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) departments, a modern laboratory, pharmacy, nine VIP wards, four general wards and a dedicated private clinic.
Tinubu also flagged off the National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System (NEMSAS) Emergency Response Fleet at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare headquarters in Abuja.
The fleet comprises 79 new emergency ambulances, 145 tricycle ambulances and six boat ambulances, alongside digital equipment, including 45 laptops, 20 printers and 320 mobile phones to improve emergency response coordination across the country.
According to the Presidency, the emergency fleet will operate under the SAVEMAMA programme to provide life-saving maternal, newborn and emergency medical services, particularly in rural, riverine and hard-to-reach communities.
In Lagos, the President launched a fleet of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered ambulances for all 73 federal tertiary health institutions nationwide. The initiative is expected to reduce operational costs, lower carbon emissions and strengthen referrals between secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities.
Across the country, several key healthcare projects were also commissioned, including upgraded Polio Emergency Operations Centres in Kano, Katsina and Sokoto States, as well as newly completed primary healthcare centres in Kano and Delta States under the World Bank-supported Immunisation Plus and Malaria Progress by Accelerating Coverage and Transforming Services (IMPACT) Project.
Other projects inaugurated include a new laboratory complex at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Akwa Ibom State; an administrative complex at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu State; and a Pharmacy Quality Control Laboratory at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria.
In the North-East, Tinubu commissioned a 50-bed Mental Health and Drug Rehabilitation Centre at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, designed to provide specialised care for patients suffering from psychological and substance abuse-related conditions.
The President also inaugurated the Lagos Immunisation Supply Chain Hub in Oshodi, the first completed facility under Nigeria’s new Three-Hub Immunisation Supply Chain Model, which is expected to serve the South-West and South-South regions.
Speaking during the virtual commissioning ceremony, Tinubu described the projects as part of the most ambitious healthcare renewal programme undertaken in decades.
“We are determined to give Nigerians the kind of care that, for too long, only those who could travel abroad enjoyed,” the President said.
“From the rivers of the Delta to the streets of Lagos, from rural Sokoto to tertiary Maiduguri, our emergency response system must work as one. Today, we put another major piece of that system in place.”
The President commended the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, NEMSAS, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, the World Bank, the Gates Foundation, eHealth Africa and other partners for their contributions to the projects.
According to figures released by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, nearly 3,000 primary healthcare centres have been revitalised under the IMPACT programme over the past two years. The ministry also disclosed that 27 Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care centres have been established, while 1,602 Level 1 and 1,360 Level 2 health facilities have been upgraded nationwide.
The projects form part of the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, which seeks to improve healthcare infrastructure, emergency response systems and access to quality medical services across the country.
