With the opening of the N21 billion Presidential/VIP Wing of the State House Medical Centre, which is situated inside the State House in Abuja, the First Lady, Aisha Buhari, has declared that Nigerian presidents will no longer need to travel abroad for medical care. Aisha Buhari, who attended the inauguration with her husband, spoke after Buhari cut the tape and completed an escorted tour of the centre. She emphasized that the new facility would put an end to frequent trips abroad by Nigerian presidents and their families for medical care.
She asserted that in 2017, while her husband was away for an extended period of time for medical treatments, she came up with the idea of carrying out the project. She said that now that the facility is up and running, presidents and their families won’t have to go abroad for medical care. Instead, they will only have to fly in medical experts to help their colleagues in Nigeria. She said that this one was for the First Family’s health and well-being. So, no leader needs to spend months and months away from the country for treatments.
Healthcare has been considered a priority in the country.
In his remarks, President Buhari declared that the country’s health infrastructure would significantly improve due to the new, advanced Medical Centre, and he urged careful use of the resource to maximize its advantages. The previous administration first conceived of the Medical Centre 11 years ago. The president, along with members of the First Family, the Senate President Ahmad Lawan, the Chief of Staff Professor Ibrahim Gambari, and the Permanent Secretary of the State House Tijjani Umar, toured the hospital’s Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory (CathLab), general and specialized operating rooms, intensive care unit, isolation rooms for infectious diseases, and consultation rooms.
He noted that in the past eight years, comprehensive as well as an active healthcare system had been considered the highest priority, and he expressed his delight with the fully furnished and functioning medical facilities that are located at the centre. More so, during his tour, President Buhari engaged in conversation with members of the local medical staff, all of whom had recently completed specialized training on how to operate the cutting-edge technology housed at the facility.
The president’s commitment is showcased in the health facility.
Furthermore, the Permanent Secretary for the state House speaking on his path, elaborated on the purpose of the VIP facility, stating that it is meant to serve as an all-in-one location for ensuring the delivery of medical care for the President, Vice President, and their families, in addition to other VIPs. According to him, the building and operation of the facility are evidence of the president’s dedication to making the health and well-being of citizens a top priority.
Also, he recalled that the idea of creating a medical facility underneath the capital of the government initially occurred in the year 2012. According to him, the first idea led to the development of a project brief in 2013 in line with the plan, which outlined the goals, scope, and guidelines for the development of the facility. However, President Buhari did not give his approval for a thorough geotechnical survey and evaluation of the seven potential sites until the year 2020.
Formal presidential hospital serves 35,000 patients.
Lastly, the First Lady revealed that she’s very content now that she’s completed the initiation process. Despite leaving, they are grateful that the project was able to be realized. She started this initiative six years ago because Nigeria has so many qualified people working there. It just needs a solid centre. The hospital that is supposed to care for the First Family is currently providing medical attention to approximately 35,000 patients, which is a significant number. For this reason, she insisted that a VIP wing be built close to the presidential residence.
Related Link
State House: Website
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