President Bola Tinubu has restated his administration’s unwavering dedication to revitalizing Nigeria’s healthcare system by ensuring access to affordable and high-quality medical services for every citizen.
Represented by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, Tinubu made this known on Thursday during the commissioning of 10 completed medical infrastructure projects at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH), Gwagwalada.
He emphasized that similar upgrades are underway across Federal Teaching Hospitals, Medical Centres, and specialized institutions nationwide.
“This is just one example,” Pate said. “Nationwide, federal tertiary hospitals are seeing similar developments. Over the past two years, we’ve transformed the healthcare sector, equipping hospitals, hiring skilled personnel, and establishing systems to deliver reliable, affordable care. Although it’s a long journey, the real work has only just begun.”
In addition, Tinubu announced the expansion of six major cancer care facilities. Three are set for commissioning next month, while the remaining will be completed by the third quarter of the year.
He also highlighted progress in the primary healthcare sector. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, over 37 million patients visited healthcare centres under the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund. More than 4,000 caesarean section reimbursements have been processed through government health initiatives. Furthermore, the National Health Insurance Scheme has enrolled an additional 2.4 million Nigerians.
UATH Leadership Earns Presidential Commendation
President Tinubu praised Prof. Bissallah Ekele, Chief Medical Director of UATH, and his team for their notable improvements in healthcare delivery.
Prof. Ekele, in his remarks, credited timely government support for boosting both infrastructure and workforce morale at the hospital. He explained that consistent funding and fast-tracked proposal approvals have allowed the facility to procure vital equipment for patient care, staff welfare, and academic training.
“We’ve seen a remarkable rise in our annual appropriation, with prompt fund releases. This has made it easier to improve our clinical services and support our personnel,” he noted.
Diverse Medical Programmes and New Infrastructure
UATH, he said, provides a broad spectrum of services, ranging from clinical care to teaching, training, and research. It also runs a remediation programme for foreign-trained medical graduates, in collaboration with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria. Last year, 90 out of 94 participants passed the qualifying examination held in Ibadan.
The 10 newly commissioned infrastructure projects include:
Renovation and furnishing of the male surgical ward
Renovation of a 34-bed male medical ward
Upgraded family planning unit
New six-bed Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
Construction and furnishing of an Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) unit
50-room residential block for interns
50-room call duty block
Installation of a CT scan machine
Construction of a staff quarters block
Additional infrastructure and equipment supply
Additionally, the hospital has received approval for the acquisition and housing of an MRI machine. Prof. Ekele appealed for solar energy support to enhance consistent power supply.
Dr. Ikechukwu Odikpo, Chairman of the UATH Board, expressed optimism that ongoing developments and the President’s healthcare vision would bring quality medical services closer to every Nigerian.
