By Vincess Okushi
The federal government and he Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority, (NSIA) had on Friday 22 March, 2024 signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the procurement of cancer equipment’s for six (6) Federal Tertiary Hospitals to aid oncology care in Nigeria
At the signing of the MoU in Abuja, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, said the preventative disease has contributed to the huge number of death, hence the launch of the oncology initiative by the government in 2021 to improve oncology care through strategic medical investments that includes the establishment of new oncology and nuclear medicine centres, upgrade of existing facilities and deployment of modern medical infrastructure in the participating tertiary institutions.
The Minister hinted that delay of the project implementation has affected the country in monetary and lives.
For us to see three to four years where monies have been appropriated to purchase cancer equipment and for one reason or the other, we were not able to move forward
The Oncology Initiative task NSIA with the proposed cutting-edge medical infrastructure to be deployed in the six Teaching Hospitals selected from the six geo- political zones include: linear accelerators, iridium brachytherapy machines, computed tomography (CI) simulators, position emission tomography (PET) scanners and cyclotrons.
On her part, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health and Social services, Daju, Kachollom expressed delight for the project, stressing that the upgrading and establishment of the six Tertiary Teaching Hospitals should be commended.
She pointed out that this has shown the commitment of the Federal Government under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu towards providing infrastructural facilities aimed at uplifting the lives of Nigeria especially in the Health sector.
Meanwhile, the Chief Medical Directors of the Teaching Hospitals commended the gesture adding that this has further buttress the Federal Government commitment for saving lives of numerous Nigerians afflicted with cancer cases.
We are particularly pleased as Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority as actors within the space in Nigeria, with our facilities located at LUTH Lagos. We have seen the significant impact that localized world class oncology facilities can make in Nigeria. And also the opportunity to collaborate under the government initiative, has informed something that we all need to ensure it is done”, he emphasized.
