NSIA, FMoH to Invest N6.12b into LUTH, 2 Others

Adewole

Martins Ifijeh

The Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) Healthcare Development and Investment Company, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health are set to deploy funds for the building, equipping and maintaining of healthcare facilities in three federal health institutions.

The beneficiary institutions are the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), for the Centre for Advanced Radiotherapy Treatment; the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, AKTH, Kano and the Federal Medical Centre Umuahia, FMCU, Abia State, both for the Private Modern Medical Diagnostic Centres.

Under the agreements, the Cancer Centre at LUTH will be upgraded to provide specialist care for cancer treatment while AKTH and FMCU will focus on diagnostics providing medical microbiology services, routine chemical pathology, haematology tests and advanced radiography including MRI and CT services.

The investment is expected to upgrade the institutions to modern medical centres and significantly enhance Nigeria’s ability to treat NCDs.

Speaking at the signing, the MD/CEO NSlA, Mr. Uche Orji, stated that “investing in healthcare remains a vital component of the Nigerian infrastructure Fund strategy. The enhancement of healthcare infrastructure in these institutions will contribute towards raising the quality and standard of care in Nigeria with outcomes which are consistent with the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. In addition, it will demonstrate the economic potential of healthcare investments in Nigeria and catalyse private sector participation.”

According to the Minister of Health, Prof. lsaac Adewole: “One of the most important aspects of healthcare is investment in infrastructure. This investment, though focused on NCDs is the first of many which we believe will shape the future of healthcare in Nigeria and bring quality healthcare to many.”

The investment is intended to provide access to advanced healthcare services for benefit of lower income families many of whom have limited access to care.

As part of the programme, NHDIC has procured the services of internationally renowned equipment vendors including Varian (Switzerland), Siemens (Germany), JNC lntemational (Nigeria) and Fuji Films (Japan) to provide turnkey services including civil works, design, equipment installation and maintenance services for the centres.