ABUJA – President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday in Abuja restated Federal Government’s commitment to upgrade medical services in the country to world standard.
This is contained in a statement issued by Dr Reuben Abati, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity in Abuja.
The statement quoted Jonathan as saying this when the outgoing Ambassador of Cuba to Nigeria, Mr Hugo Rene Ramos Milanes, paid him a courtesy visit.
He said part of the government’s efforts was to acquire new technology and strengthen bilateral cooperation with countries like Cuba with expertise in the medical field.
The President said Nigeria had benefitted from scholarships extended to some of its medical students to study in Cuba.
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“We have enjoyed scholarships given to our students in the medical sciences and the use of new medical technology.
“We hope to benefit more from Cuba’s medical expertise in tackling health challenges like Malaria,’’ the President told the outgoing ambassador.
Jonathan also told the ambassador that both countries could benefit from the ongoing transformation of the Nigerian economy.
He urged Cuban investors to explore the huge potential in the different sectors of Nigeria’s economy, adding that the sectors had been opened to foreign investors.
The outgoing Cuban ambassador thanked the Federal Government for the support given him throughout his tenure and pledged his country’s commitment toward assisting Nigeria in the transformation agenda.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government had offered automatic duty waiver for medical facilities and equipment to be imported by investors.
Mr Tony Elumelu, the Chairman,Federal Government’s Ministerial Committee on the Establishment of World Class Hospitals and Diagnostic Centres, disclosed this at a news conference on Thursday in Abuja.
He said the waiver would be under a special programme aimed at establishing world-class hospitals and diagnostic centres in the country.
Elumelu spoke with State House correspondents after President Goodluck Jonathan met with members of the committee at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He added that the move was part of efforts by the Federal Government to attract private sector investment into the health sector.
The objective, he said, was to raise the standard of healthcare delivery in the country, adding that under the programme, government would establish six world-class medical facilities and diagnostic centres in each of the six geo-political zones.
“We have just met with the President to discuss how we can fast-track the setting up of six world class medical facilities and diagnostic centres in each of the six geo-political zones in the country.
“This is an assignment that the committee members are seriously committed to.
“We believe that the health sector is key to the development of the country, human capital is important and you have to have a healthy workforce for a country to develop.
“We are happy that this administration is seriously committed to pushing things forward in this case,” he said.
The committee chairman lauded government for its efforts to reposition the health sector, from a social service to one of commercial viabilities, as obtained in the agriculture sector.
Elumelu said that the committee had assessed the state of federal healthcare facilities in the country and made relevant recommendations to the President.
“We updated the president on the journey so far. We took statistics of hospital projects in the country that have not been completed.
“We came up with 84 hospital projects across the country. We shared this with Mr President.
“The ultimate objective is to ensure that our people stop travelling to India, South Africa and other places for medical attention.
“We believe that our people deserve good medical facilities and attention at this age and time,’’ he said. (NAN)
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