The Federal Government of Nigeria, in partnership with the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) in a bid to boost cancer treatment in the country.
The historic event took place on Friday 22 March 2024, and is expected to bolster oncology care across the country, with the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) being among the six designated facilities set to benefit. This is in addition to assisting Nigeria to reduce medical tourism.
“Under the visionary leadership of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, and the Managing Director of NSIA, Mr. Aminu Umar-Sadiq, this collaboration heralds a new era in cancer treatment. The agreement entails the procurement of state-of-the-art oncology equipment for designated teaching hospitals, including UBTH, marking a crucial milestone in the fight against cancer,” UBTH said in a statement.
Prof. Pate aptly described the event as a watershed moment, signaling hope for thousands of Nigerians battling cancer. He emphasized the urgent need to address the growing burden of non-communicable diseases, particularly cancers, in the country.
“UBTH’s inclusion in this transformative initiative underscores its critical role in advancing healthcare delivery in Nigeria. With the support of the Federal Government and NSIA, UBTH is poised to become a center of excellence for cancer patients nationwide,” UBTH added.
Medical tourism, on the average, costs Nigeria about $2 billion annually, adding to one of the sources of pressure causing naira volatility at the foreign exchange market. This new development is expected to reduce the rate at which Nigerians who are in need of oncology services travel overseas.
Radiotherapy and oncology unit at UBTH is equipped with the state-of-the-art line accelerator, CT Simulator, computerized treatment planning system, brachytherapy, among others. The unit parades specialists such as clinical and radiation oncologists, therapeutic radiographers, oncology nurses, biomedical engineers, nuclear medicine physicians, oncology pharmacists, medical physicists, paramedical group, and other administrative support staff.
The inclusion of UBTH among the six medical facilities to benefit from this project moves it closer to its vision of being the cancer treatment hub for the West African sub region.
Echoing Prof. Pate’s sentiments, Umar-Sadiq highlighted the role played by NSIA in revolutionising cancer care through the NSIA-LUTH Cancer Centre. He expressed enthusiasm for replicating this success across the country, ensuring that every Nigerian has access to world-class oncology facilities.
NSIA is a federal government-owned investment institution established to manage crude oil revenues in excess of the annual budget benchmark. As at the end of the third quarter ended 30 September 2023, NSIA had N1.9 trillion assets under management. It also reported N825 billion as profit after tax for the period, which was far higher than the N40.5 billion profit after tax the institution made in the corresponding period of 2022.
Healthcare is one of the activities under NSIA’s portfolio. In August 2023, it organised a summit for over 200 oncology and other medical professionals from 11 Nigerian tertiary hospitals and over 10 external collaborators from the United States of America and India.
