Enugu govt hands over medical laboratory to FG agency

The administration of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State will today, Tuesday, officially hand over the Enugu State Medical Diagnostic Centre to a Federal Government agency, the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority, NSIA.

This will mark the commencement of the first phase of the NSIA’s healthcare expansion programme following the collaboration agreement between the agency and the Enugu State government.

With the takeover of the medical laboratory, the NSIA will upgrade the facility to a comprehensive diagnostic and oncology (cancer) treatment centre.

Governor Ugwuanyi will perform the transfer of the health facility to NSIA, as well as launch the Equilease Systems Limited.

In a statement by the Commissioner for Health, Enugu State, Dr. Emmanuel Ikechukwu Obi, the Equilease Systems Limited is a specialty equipment leasing company established by NSIA, which will provide the medical diagnostic equipment required for the upgrade, “to fully equip the centre and also enable it to render oncology and other services.”

Obi added that the Equilease will be responsible for equipping other centres under the healthcare expansion programme using a lease arrangement.

The Health Commissioner explained that the transfer of the Enugu State Medical Diagnostic Centre to NSIA and launch of Equilease Systems Ltd signpost the commencement of the first phase of NSIA’s healthcare expansion programme.

He disclosed that the first phase of the expansion programme “entails the development, construction and operationalisation of 23 new modern medical diagnostic centres of excellence, two oncology centres and six catheterisation laboratories across Nigeria.”

He pointed out that “the Enugu State Medical Diagnostic Centre will be the first in this phase to be operationalised to serve as the pivotal centre in the South East zone for provision of comprehensive medical, diagnostic and cancer treatment services to the people of Enugu State and beyond.”