Health: Landmark Partnership to Boost Healthcare Delivery in Niger State (Nigeria)

Read Time:1 Minute, 5 Second

Niger State, Nigeria, has entered into a partnership with the Zenith Kidney and Medical Centre to strengthen its healthcare system. The agreement aims to improve the quality of care and address the brain drain affecting the sector.

Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago stated that the deal includes knowledge sharing, staff training, and consultancy services, stressing the importance of major investments to reverse the migration trend of healthcare professionals.

The medical director of the centre, Dr. Olatise Olalekan, noted that Zenith Kidney and Medical Centre has already performed more than 1,200 kidney transplants in Nigeria, including 20 for patients from Niger State. The facility also conducts 1,500 dialysis sessions monthly. This success has helped reduce the need for patients to travel abroad for complex procedures, thereby limiting medical tourism.

The centre plans to expand its services to include new specialties such as neurology, laser prostate surgery, and general surgery. In addition, it is accredited to train doctors in nephrology and urology and is building a 250-bed hospital to facilitate more organ transplants.

Governor Bago also emphasized the essential role of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in driving economic growth and reducing poverty. This public-private partnership is seen as a model to be replicated in order to build a sustainable and competitive healthcare system.