GOVERNMENT OF ENUGU HAS HANDED OVER A MEDICAL LABORATORY TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

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

Following the collaboration agreement between the NSIA and the Enugu State government, this will mark the start of the first phase of the NSIA's healthcare expansion program.

With the acquisition of the medical laboratory, the NSIA will transform it into a complete diagnostic and oncology (cancer) treatment facility.

Governor Ugwuanyi would transfer the health facility to NSIA and start the Equilease Systems Limited.

According to Dr. Emmanuel Ikechukwu Obi, Commissioner for Health in Enugu State, Equilease Systems Limited is a specialty equipment leasing company established by NSIA that will provide the medical diagnostic equipment needed for the upgrade, "to fully equip the centre and also enable it to render oncology and other services.".

Obi further stated that Equilease will be responsible for equipping future healthcare expansion centers through a lease arrangement.

The transfer of the Enugu State Medical Diagnostic Centre to NSIA and the founding of Equilease Systems Ltd, according to the Health Commissioner, mark the beginning of the first phase of NSIA's healthcare expansion program.

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."