President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the establishment of over 8,800 new Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) across Nigeria, as part of a comprehensive Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative.
The announcement was made by Vice President Kashim Shettima on Saturday, during the commissioning of the Sulaiman Adebola Adegunwa Trauma Centre in Sagamu, Ogun State.
The initiative also entails the upgrading of existing tertiary institutions to enhance their capacity to handle critical medical conditions, including trauma, oncology, and infectious disease control.
Vice President Shettima emphasized the Federal Government’s commitment to addressing the nation’s healthcare deficits through strategic partnerships and investments.
However, he stressed that the government cannot bear this burden alone, calling for increased private sector participation in healthcare development.
“The government alone cannot shoulder this burden,” Shettima stated, highlighting the crucial role of the private sector in the ongoing health sector reforms.
He described the newly commissioned trauma center as a vital addition to Nigeria’s emergency care infrastructure, symbolizing the government’s dedication to saving lives.
The Vice President revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a “comprehensive Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, including the creation of over 8,800 new Primary Healthcare Centres across the country and the upgrade of existing tertiary institutions to handle trauma, oncology, and infectious disease control.
“In a nation facing rising urbanization, motorization, and industrial risks, trauma care is no longer optional—it is essential,” he stated, describing the facility as “a lifeline and a symbol of preparedness in a nation that cares.”
The Vice President highlighted the center as a “model of private sector contribution to public health,” praising the Adegunwa family’s initiative.
“This centre is more than a birthday gift; it is a gift to humanity. It is a lifeline—a sanctuary where the wounded can find healing, and where families in despair can find hope,” he said.
Initiative aligned with broader health reforms
He further detailed that the initiative aligns with Tinubu’s broader health reform plan, which includes “investing in a National Health Insurance Scheme that leaves no Nigerian behind, and a Digital Health Information Management System that ensures data drives diagnosis and delivery.”
VP Shettima urged other philanthropists and corporate organizations to “rise beyond personal achievement and invest in nation-building,” reinforcing the importance of collaborative efforts in strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare infrastructure.
Hospital management commits to sustainability
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Board of Management, Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, Dr Kunle Hassan, said the trauma centre was designed to provide emergency medical care, management of trauma-related cases and significantly enhance the hospital’s capacity to deliver quality healthcare services to the people.
Hassan pledged that the management of the hospital would ensure effective utilisation of the facility and its maintenance so that it will continue to serve the community for generations to come.
He expressed profound gratitude to the donor, Chief Sulaiman Adebola Adegunwa, his foundation and members of his family for the remarkable gift.
