FCT minister pledges support for activities of medical professionals

The Federal Capital Territory Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, has pledged support of the FCT Administration for the activities of medical professionals towards the development of the territory’s health sector.
Mr Anthony Ogunleye, Chief Press Secretary to the minister, in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, said Bello gave the assurance when he received members of the Nigerian Association of Urological Surgeons, led by its FCT Chairman, Dr Celestine Undie, on a visit to the FCTA.
The minister, who commended the decision of the association to hold its Annual Medical Conference in Abuja, expressed satisfaction with the cordial relationship between the FCTA and medical professionals.
According to him, the unique location of Abuja makes it the best choice for conferences and that the nation’s capital is gradually being recognised as a hub for conference tourism in Africa.
Bello also appreciated the role of medical professionals in the development of the FCT health sector.
The minister enjoined stakeholders in the Abuja project to join hands with the FCT Administration towards making the FCT a centre of medical excellence.
He disclosed that efforts are also underway to make Abuja a center for medical excellence with a view to mitigating medical tourism abroad.
“Usually, as a city, we try to encourage these gatherings. Actually, we are trying to position the city of Abuja as a conference centre.
“And gradually, we are also trying to encourage it to be a centre of medical excellence so that we can really stem the tide of medical tourism”.
“Already under construction, which I can share with you, are very important centres of medical excellence.
“For instance, the Afreximbank, which is a multilateral financial institution, headquartered in Cairo, Egypt, for which Nigeria is a major shareholder, is already constructing a 500-bed multifaceted facility to be managed by one of the international medical groups.”
Bello also revealed plans by the FCTA to develop an all-inclusive medical city in Abuja, that would include world class accommodation facilities for visiting international doctors, patients and their relations.
“And visitors who will only need to walk short distances to access the medical centers within the medical city.”
Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Dr Celestine Undie, had solicited the support of the FCTA towards the success of the association’s Annual Conference, scheduled to hold in Abuja.
He said the conference would bring together urologists from across the country in the diaspora to share knowledge and ideas while complicated urological surgeries would be performed by the visiting surgeons during the conference.
Present at the meeting were the Acting Secretary, FCTA Health and Human Services Secretariat, Dr Mohammed Kawu, Head, Medical Services, Hospital Management Board, Dr Osagie Osayande, and other staff of the FCTA.