The Coordinating Minister of Health and
Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, signed a Memorandum of Understanding
with the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority, (NSIA) on Friday 22 March,
2024 for the procurement of cancer equipment’s for six (6) Federal Tertiary
Hospitals to enhance oncology care in Nigeria.
Professor Pate, during the signing ceremony
said, with the prevalence of cancer cases resulting to death, the Federal
Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (FMH&SW) in 2021 launched the
oncology initiative which aims 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 who lamented the delay of the
project by the previous administrations, stated that Nigeria has lost both
money value and lives as a results of selfish interest. "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", he stressed.
Pate described the event as an important
milestone that would end the tragic story of losing life's of millions of
Nigerians especially who are afflicted by cancer. He stated that all
stakeholders in the implementation process of the Initiative were consulted and
clearance from the Attorney General of the Federation has been received to sign
the project at the cost of Thirty Eight Billion Naira (38bn).
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.
The Coordinating Minister, assured of transparency
and openness in the process, calling on EFCC, SON and other Civil Society
Organizations to track any penny being funded on the Oncology Initiative,
emphasizing that Civil Society Organizations should amplify to the general
public as part of their advocacy.
In her welcome address, the Permanent
Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health and Social services, Daju, Kachollom mni,
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.
In their respective responses, the Chief
Medical Directors of the benefiting Teaching Hospitals, expressed gratitude to
the Federal Government for the initiative stressing that the gesture will
assist immensely in saving lives of numerous Nigerians afflicted with cancer
cases.
Earlier in his remarks, the Managing Director/Chief
Executive Officer, Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) Aminu Umar
Sadiq, stated that considering the proliferation of cancer cases in the
country, when these facilities are put in place, victory for Nigerians will be
declared when the facilities are commissioned between the next sixteen to
eighteen months.
"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 that under the government initiative, has informed
something that we all need to ensure it is done", he emphasized.
The selected Tertiary Teaching Hospitals for
the project from the size geo-political Zones are:
University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH),
Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Federal Teaching Hospital
Katsina (FTHK), University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Jos University
Teaching Hospital (JUTH) and Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).
The occasion was attended by all the Chief
Medical Directors of the six Teaching Hospitals, Permanent Secretary, Federal
Ministry of Health, Directors from the Ministry, Representatives of the
Financial Crime Agencies, Civil Society Organizations among others.
Patricia Deworitshe
Director (Information & PR)
22/3/2024
