By Fatima Saka
Abuja – The Federal Government has directed healthcare institutions across the country to conduct regular audits and maintenance of medical equipment as part of efforts to improve service delivery and patient outcomes.
The directive was issued by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare at the opening of a five-day Capacity Building Workshop for Biomedical Engineers held at the National Hospital Abuja on Tuesday.
The workshop, organised by Healthy Living Communications Limited and the College of Biomedical Engineering and Technology in partnership with the Hospital Services Department of the Ministry, aims to strengthen maintenance culture and boost the technical capacity of biomedical engineers nationwide.
The Honourable Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Adekunle Salako, represented by his Special Assistant, Dr. Babatunde Akinyemi, said biomedical engineers are central to ensuring the functionality of critical medical devices in hospitals.
“This workshop seeks to reawaken the professional consciousness of our biomedical engineers, refresh their technical skills, and reposition them to safeguard our expanding stock of health assets,” he stated.
Salako disclosed that the Ministry has commenced a National Biomedical Equipment Audit and is developing a National Biomedical Equipment Maintenance Framework to institutionalise preventive maintenance schedules in federal tertiary hospitals and medical centres across the country.
He further highlighted upgrades in teaching facilities at five federal teaching hospitals hosting Schools of Biomedical Engineering: University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital and University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.
In his welcome address, Chief Emmanuel Oriakhi, Project Director of Healthy Living Communications Limited, lamented that many hospitals possess valuable equipment that remain unused or poorly maintained due to inadequate technical expertise.
He said boosting the capacity of biomedical engineers has become imperative, particularly in view of the massive infrastructural investments in the health sector under the present administration.
According to him, improved standards in equipment management and personnel training are gradually positioning Nigeria as a destination for medical tourism.
Representing the Director of the Hospital Services Department, Dame Francisca Okafor, Director of Regulatory and Professional Schools Division at the Ministry, described the workshop as a strategic initiative to ensure that investments in the health sector deliver sustainable and measurable results for Nigerians.
The Registrar of the College of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Dr. Kennedy Ejeta, said the training is designed to equip biomedical engineers with cutting-edge skills to drive innovation, reduce equipment downtime and enhance service delivery.
Other speakers included the Chief Medical Director of the National Hospital Abuja, Professor Mohammed Mahmood, Chief Trainer Engineer Dr. Awafung Emmanuel Adie, and managing directors of medical equipment companies.
Delivering a goodwill message on behalf of the Country Director of FHI 360, Engineer Eberechi Ndukwe-Bello underscored the importance of bridging the gap between equipment acquisition and effective operation.
She commended the initiative for equipping engineers with the knowledge and safety tools required to manage critical devices such as liquid oxygen tanks and oxygen analysers, which are essential for patient care.
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Participants drawn from federal, state and private health institutions are expected to undergo hands-on demonstrations, theoretical sessions and maintenance modules, and return to their institutions as change agents to promote a cost-effective maintenance culture and reduce equipment failures.
The Federal Government reiterated its commitment to modernising health infrastructure, strengthening professionalism and deepening strategic partnerships to enhance the resilience of Nigeria’s health system.
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