The Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole has announced that the federal government will build seven more cancer treatment centers across the country by next year.
Adewole stated this yesterday when he paid a surprise visit to the National Hospital in Abuja adding that the cancer centre at the hospital will be equipped to arrested medical tourism among Nigerians.
“I’m impressed with the level of care in this 350-bed cancer centre, and Nigeria will work towards launching seven more cancer centres in the next one year.
The Minister who was conducted round the hospital by the Chief Medical Director (CMD), Dr Audu Momoh said that the purpose of his visit was to access the efficiency of staff and the effectiveness of the hospital.
Professor Adewole particularly inspected the accident and emergency unit, delivery suite and the Magnetic Reno cent imaging unit under construction, at the cancer centre.
He urged the CMD to showcase the various services available in the hospital to Nigerians so as to cope medical tourism which is draining the resources of most patients who seek medical services abroad.
In an interview with journalists, the Minister who expressed satisfaction with the state of the hospital, attitude of staff to work and the cleanliness of the premises said that the federal government will work towards an efficient health care service delivery.
Responding, the CMD said that the Minister’s unscheduled visit is important to the hospital in that it will go a long way to make the staff know “it is no longer business as usual.”
Dr. Momoh, however, stressed that the hospital needs to be adequately funded for optimal performance to be maintained.
