The Nigerian government has constructed a new medical center in Epe, Lagos State, increasing the total number of Federal Medical Centers in the state to two.
Prior to the establishment of this new facility in Epe, the Federal Medical Center in Ebute-metta was commissioned by the government on November 23, 1964. Originally known as the Nigerian Railway Hospital, it was upgraded to a Federal Medical Center on January 31, 2005.
In addition to the new facility in Epe, two other Federal Medical Centers were also constructed, one in Misau, Bauchi State, and another in Ikole-Ekiti, Ekiti State. The Federal Medical Centers in Epe and Misau will both house nursing schools.
With the addition of these three new Federal Medical Centers, the total number of such centers in the country has now reached 26.
The government’s decision to establish these new facilities was driven by the need to ease the pressure on existing healthcare institutions and to work towards achieving Universal Health Coverage.
During an event in Abuja where appointment letters were presented to the acting medical directors of the Federal Medical Center in Epe, Dr. Adeleke Kaka, and the Federal Medical Center in Misau, Dr. Rufa’i Dachi, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Tunji Alausa, emphasized the importance of these new institutions for national development.
He highlighted that President Bola Tinubu sanctioned the establishment of these new Federal Medical Centers to provide specialized medical care, attract skilled healthcare professionals, and facilitate cutting-edge medical research in the country.
It is anticipated that these centers will not only benefit the local regions but also contribute significantly to enhancing the national healthcare system as a whole.
Alausa noted, “This milestone reflects the Tinubu administration’s commitment to enhancing healthcare accessibility and quality across Nigeria.
“This approval further demonstrates the president’s passion and commitment to ensuring that Nigerians receive the best healthcare at an affordable cost.
“It also aims to increase the much-needed human resources for health in our country.”
The minister eemphasized that the centres were designed to alleviate the strain on existing healthcare facilities by providing tertiary care to over one million residents in the regions.
“Previously, citizens had to travel hundreds of miles to Lagos for such services,” he noted.
He applauded the Lagos State Government for cooperating and transferring the Lagos General Hospital to the Federal Government, facilitating the establishment of FMC Epe.
“The Federal Government is committed to full support and funding to ensure rapid development of infrastructure and services at these centres,” he stated.
He declared that the establishment of the FMCs represents a significant step towards realising Tinubu’s vision of a healthcare system that caters to the needs of all Nigerians.
He explained, “These facilities are expected to be fully operational before the end of the year, offering comprehensive care and reducing the necessity for long-distance travel for medical services.
“This is a testament to what Tinubu sets out to do for us in this country.
“The president is reforming every sector, like the economy, power, infrastructure, food security, agriculture, security, and energy. But now, I will focus on our sector, the health sector.
“We all know the problem we have with human resources for health. We’re tackling that head-on by doubling the number of people we’re enrolling in medical schools, pharmacy schools, dentistry schools, medical science schools, and nursing schools.
“We’ve almost quadrupled the admission of students into nursing schools. “We’re doing this to give our young men and women the opportunity to become nurses and live a decent life.”
He further emphasized that 100,000 nursing students were expected to be enrolled by the end of the year, as against the previous enrolment of 28,000 nursing students.
Applauding on the mass migration of nurses, Alausa noted, “Yes, we know that some nurses have migrated. We cannot stop people from migrating, but we have to leverage our population. We have a population of 220 million people. We can train more, and as people go, others will stay.
“Even those migrating have maintained cultural ties, sending money to their families, which is another source of foreign direct investment.
“More importantly, as we strengthen our healthcare system and improve security, those who have left will want to return.”
The Federal Ministry of Health pledged to collaborate with stakeholders for the success of the Federal Medical Centres (FMCs).
Newly appointed medical directors expressed gratitude and commitment to enhancing healthcare services, justifying the trust placed in them.
Additionally, Dr. Jimoh Salaudeen, Director of Hospital Services, revealed that the ministry had engaged with state governors to secure suitable locations for the FMCs, aligning with the president’s instructions.
He asserted, “We assessed the proposed locations with the governors’ support, and to facilitate the take-off of these institutions, we need to appoint acting medical directors.
“Therefore, we present Kaka and Dachi to the minister of state to receive their appointment letters, having reviewed their CVs and found them suitable for the positions.”
