Chief Medical Directors and Medical Directors of five federal tertiary health institutions in Lagos State on Tuesday at a joint press conference at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, highlighted the major achievements in Nigeria’s health sector under the current administration, citing improvements in cancer care, infrastructure, staffing, energy supply and training of health workers.
The briefing, held at the Marble Floor of LUTH as part of activities marking Democracy Day 2026, provided a common platform for Chief Medical Director of LUTH, Prof Wasiu Adeyemo; Head of Clinical Services, Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Dr Funmilayo Akinola; Medical Director, National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Dr. Wakeel Lawal; Medical Director, Federal Medical Centre, Ebute Metta, Dr Saheed Ogunme and Medical Director, Federal Medical Centre, Epe, Dr. Adeleke Kaka.
Addressing journalists, the health managers said the event was convened to showcase milestones, reforms and interventions that have strengthened healthcare delivery and improved patient outcomes across the country, while also drawing attention to developments across the five federal health institutions in Lagos State.
Chief Medical Director, LUTH, Prof. Adeyemo said Nigeria currently has 84 federal tertiary hospitals spread across the six geopolitical zones, noting that Lagos is home to five of them. He said the gathering was intended to highlight achievements recorded in the last three years and a month under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration and to encourage the media to visit the institutions individually to see the progress first-hand.
Quoting President Tinubu’s Democracy Day remarks, Prof. Adeyemo said every generation has a defining responsibility, arguing that while earlier generations secured independence and democracy, the present generation must secure prosperity. He said quality healthcare is central to that goal, adding that “health is wealth” and that no meaningful national prosperity can be achieved without a strong health system.
Making a presentation on the milestones at LUTH, Prof Adeyemo said the hospital now hosts the best cancer centre not only in Nigeria but in West Africa, adding that the Federal Government is establishing a nuclear medicine centre at the facility to complement existing cancer treatment services.
He said the former NSIA-LUTH Cancer Centre, now known as the Medserve Cancer Centre, has recorded less than five per cent downtime since inception. He emphasised that the centre has helped save the country significant foreign exchange by reducing the need for patients to travel abroad for cancer treatment, while also attracting Nigerians who previously sought care outside the country.
On manpower, the LUTH CMD said the Federal Government has approved annual recruitment in the health sector despite employment restrictions in other parts of the public service. He also said remuneration for health workers has improved under the Tinubu Administration, describing the development as critical to sustaining service delivery.
He further disclosed that LUTH, which is 64 years old this year, has received federal support for the renovation of several units in the last three to four years. Specifically, he cited a multi-billion-naira outpatient facility with 256 consulting rooms under construction, across the LUTH main gate, to be linked to the old hospital through a skywalk, thanks to a special intervention from the Presidency.
The health managers also emphasised that public hospitals must serve all Nigerians, while acknowledging that some patients are willing and able to pay for premium services. To meet that demand, they said the Federal Government has provided funding for the renovation and refurbishment of private inpatient and outpatient wards at LUTH.
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Similar specialist-driven premium care, they noted, is also available or being strengthened across other federal institutions in Lagos, including the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, and FMC Ebute Metta.
Prof. Adeyemo said that LUTH has established a new dermatology centre at its Yaba Annex and also maintains a drug treatment centre close to its main gate. In addition, he said the hospital now has what he described as the best blood bank services in the country, achieved through a combination of federal support and public-private partnership.
Power supply, long identified as a major challenge for hospitals, also featured prominently in their presentation. For instance, at LUTH the Federal Government has budgeted about N3.8 billion for the provision of a two-megawatt solar power system.
Before the planned project, the hospital had already installed multiple solar power systems across its facilities, bringing total existing solar capacity to about 555 kilowatts. About half of the funding came from the Federal Government, while the balance was provided by corporate organisations, philanthropists and other well-meaning Nigerians.
They also credited the Office of the Sustainable Development Goals in the Presidency, led by Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, with supporting additional infrastructure in the health institutions. Among the cited interventions were hostel projects, a paediatric building at FMC Ebute Metta, 11 elevators installed at LUTH, and 300 solar streetlights spread across the hospital complex to improve visibility and safety at night.
The health managers said the SDGs Office is also planning to build a new hostel for students of the College of Nursing Sciences and the School of Community Health at Pakoto, Ogun State, adding that progress is expected before the end of the year. They further announced plans for a new sickle cell centre at LUTH.
In the area of medical education and training, the officials said eight schools at LUTH have been directed by the Federal Government to expand student admissions in line with efforts to boost the health workforce. The institutions listed were the College of Nursing Sciences, School of Basic Nursing, School of Midwifery, Federal School of Biomedical Engineering, School of Health Information Management, School of Psychiatry and Social Work, School of Anaesthetic Technician, and the School of Community Health at Pakoto.
Prof. Adeyemo disclosed that students at LUTH are also benefiting from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund. He said 137 students benefited from the scheme this year, including 62 from the College of Nursing Sciences, 49 from the School of Health Information Management, and 26 from the Federal School of Biomedical Engineering. Moreover, the Fund has paid N48.1 million to LUTH on behalf of the students, covering tuition while also providing stipends.
The event ended with a call on journalists to engage more deeply with the institutions and document the changes taking place across their facilities.
The health managers said the press conference was only an introduction to broader reforms and investments in the health sector, insisting that the progress recorded in Lagos reflects a wider effort to improve healthcare delivery nationwide.
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