FG Inaugurates 10 Diagnostic, Three Cancer Centres Across 10 States
Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi
As part of efforts to transform the country’s healthcare system, the federal government has disclosed the completion and simultaneous commissioning of ultramodern diagnostic centres across 10 states of the feeration with the aim of facilitating diagnosis and treatment of sickness.
The disclosure was made on Monday by Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Mohammed Ali Pate, when he paid a courtesy visit to the Bauchi State governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, at Governor’s Office, Bauchi.
Pate said the 10 diagnostic centres were executed through MedSafe and the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA). He described the development as the largest expansion of health infrastructure and equipment in Nigeria’s history.
He said the foundation for the Bauchi diagnostic centre was laid about two years ago, and the facility had now been completed alongside nine others located in different parts of the country.
“This marks the largest expansion of health infrastructure and equipment in Nigeria’s history,” Pate said.
He explained, “The reason for our visit, we’re starting in Bauchi today, but we have 10 major health infrastructure projects carried out through Med-Serv, through NSIA, by the federal government, all across Nigeria.
“Two years ago, we laid the foundation for the first one here in Bauchi, a world-class radiodiagnostic centre, and two years later that facility has been completed, and all the 10 facilities all over Nigeria have been completed.”
Pate added, “This marks the largest expansion of health infrastructure and equipment in Nigeria’s history. Beyond the 10 radiodiagnostic centres, there are also three world-class cancer centres that have been completed.
“So, we’re here to kick off by commissioning the world-class diagnostic centre at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital here in Bauchi, and then we’ll proceed to Oyo State, in Ibadan, to commission the second one, and eight others are already completed all over Nigeria.”
The minister also said, “This marks a giant step in the commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to revamp Nigeria’s health sector with world-class diagnostic materials, infrastructure, equipment for services to Nigerians, as well as high-quality hospital infrastructure for services, as well as training and research.
“So that’s the purpose, the main purpose, for our visit here in Bauchi, and we appreciate the collaboration between the federal government and states. I felt it necessary to come and acknowledge that before we go and commission the facility.”
The coordinating minister added, “But there’s a lot more good news coming behind this, because there are six major multi-specialty hospitals, one in each geopolitical zone, that is being prepared as part of the expansion of the footprints of the health sector in Nigeria.”
Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, said at the occasion, “This is the commissioning of the Medsa Diagnostic Centre, a project the administration supported from ground-breaking through to completion.
“That project is a small picture of a larger point. The reforms we are pursuing nationally, stabilising the macro economy, restoring investor confidence, strengthening our institutions, are not ends in themselves.”
Oyedele added, “They assist to make projects like the one we are commissioning today possible, and to make them repeatable in Bauchi State and across the country. None of this happens without willing partners at the state level.
“Your Excellency’s engagement on this project, and on the broader question of how Bauchi State participates in national growth, from agriculture to security to human capital, is exactly the kind of federal-state alignment our reform agenda depends on.”
He assured, “We will continue to work with Bauchi State and with every state to turn macroeconomic stability into tangible outcomes for our people: better healthcare, better infrastructure, and a more productive economy.”
In his response, Mohammed said Monday marked “coincidences, very pleasant to my life, because it’s a double barrel of goodwill and goodness: the day that I was born and the day when two erudite and most auspicious members of the federal cabinet visited us and brought in goodies to our livelihood in Bauchi”.
He added, “And that is our Minister of Finance and our brother, the Minister of Health.”
The governor stressed, “ We are always proud of this kind of partnership. We at the subnational, we are always looking forward to the federal government bringing things, especially in the sectors that really augment our meagre resources.”
According to him, “One of the first things that Mr. President has done today, three years ago, I was part of the team that really flagged off this project, and it was done here in Bauchi.
“And coincidentally we’re in the opposition, and then after Bauchi was Oyo state, also an opposition state. That shows the kind of person, the pedigree Mr. President has, as a statesman.”
He stressed, “We don’t always just oppose and criticise for criticising’s sake. When we see good things, we say it. Mr. President has done so well in so many aspects, especially this aspect of our own common livelihood in the areas of health and finance, because the state is getting more revenue now, and we are very grateful.”
Mohammed explained, “You can see what we are doing with the revenue in the state. We are grateful that they are coming to us to augment what we are doing at the subnational, especially in the area we are doing health services.”
Mohammed added, “This is going to really bring goodwill across the country, because you are going to do it in 10 other places, and I think they are being simultaneously launched as they were being flagged off about three years ago.
“Timelines that are respected and the delivery that is being made today and starting with Bauchi, on behalf of myself and all the sub-nationals, we are very grateful for the provision, for the equipping, what you have brought to us at the state level.”
The governor stated, “Definitely, more Nigerians, or all Nigerians, live at the state level. And so Mr. President has a good vision to bring this kind of thing to us, and we assure you we have a very excellent relationship with the teaching hospital in Bauchi.
“The young man is doing very well. He’s always with us. There is no barrier in terms of collaboration that we are doing with him, and that is what we are going to do.”
The governor stressed, “We cannot play politics with health and education. We cannot play politics with services.”
He also appreciated the Tinubu government for establishing two Army formations in Bauchi: one in Alkaleri and one in Tafawa Balewa.
He added regarding the president, “The people of Bauchi are very proud of him. When we were almost overrun by bandits, nobody was coming to our care. I went to him and he responded, in spite of my position as member of the opposition.
“He sent a high-powered military contingent under the NSA, the military services, and all the security organisations, removed all the over 100,000 people who were trying to destroy peace. And today those who were displaced have returned to their places, and they have found this promising.”
The governor said, “And of course, we are working very hard to make sure that we work with the military high command to ensure the speedy establishment of those battalions that he has brought to us in Bauchi, knowing our peculiar challenges.”
He stated, “In the areas of health, the federal government has done so much. You have established the University of Health in Bauchi.
“You have established Federal Medical Centres in Bauchi that were not there before. So as far as we are concerned, for what Mr. President has done to this young man that we are very proud of, Professor Pate, we are always showing gratitude and appreciation.”
