₦airaland Forum

President Bola Tinubu has approved the establishment of over 8,800 new Primary Healthcare Centres across the country and the upgrade of existing tertiary institutions to handle trauma, oncology, and infectious disease control.

This was disclosed on Saturday by the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, when he commissioned the Sulaiman Adebola Adegunwa Trauma Centre in Sagamu, Ogun State.

The Vice President at the occasion, called for increased private sector participation in the ongoing reforms in the health sector and healthcare development across Nigeria.

He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to addressing critical deficits in the health sector through strategic partnerships and investments, noting however that the private sector has a very crucial role to play because the “government alone cannot shoulder this burden.”

Senator Shettima explained that the Sulaiman Adebola Adegunwa Trauma Centre is a vital addition to the nation’s emergency care infrastructure and a symbol of the government’s dedication to saving lives.

He revealed that President Tinubu approved a “comprehensive Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, including the creation of over 8,800 new Primary Healthcare Centres across the country and the upgrade of existing tertiary institutions to handle trauma, oncology, and infectious disease control.

“In a nation facing rising urbanisation, motorisation, and industrial risks, trauma care is no longer optional—it is essential,” VP Shettima added, describing the facility as “a lifeline and a symbol of preparedness in a nation that cares.”

He commended the Adegunwa family’s initiative, urging more philanthropists and corporate organisations to “rise beyond personal achievement and invest in nation-building.”


Describing the initiative as a model of private sector contribution to public health, Shettima said, “This centre is more than a birthday gift; it is a gift to humanity. It is a lifeline—a sanctuary where the wounded can find healing, and where families in despair can find hope”.


The facility built by the Sulaiman Adebola Adegunwa Foundation within the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital aligns with the Federal Government’s Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative aimed at overhauling Nigeria’s healthcare delivery system.

“The Administration is investing in a National Health Insurance Scheme that leaves no Nigerian behind, and a Digital Health Information Management System that ensures data drives diagnosis and delivery,” the Vice President stated.

The commissioning ceremony coincided with the 80th birthday celebration of Alhaji Sulaiman Adebola Adegunwa, a former chairman of Sterling Bank Plc and CEO of Essay Holdings Limited, the parent company of Rite Foods Limited.

In his remarks, the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, described the celebrant, Adegunwa, as “a philanthropist, entrepreneur and an astute businessman,” who even at the age of 80 has achieved greatness at all times.

Noting that the gathering was not only to honour Adegunwa but to also celebrate a legacy, a milestone and the father of modern philanthropy, Governor Abiodun expressed delight in commissioning the Trauma Centre donated by Pa Adegunwa to Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital.

The Governor said it is a monumental facility established for the benefit of humanity and the betterment of mankind.

“In 2019 when I assumed office, this university was on its knees. It was like a ghost town; nobody came here for medical attention. It was one of the worst places I visited in my first term in office. In line with the recommendation of the committee we set up, we constituted the hospital governing board which did not exist for many years. I want to thank the Chief Medical Director for the great job she has done and the achievement that we are seeing today,” he stated.

Governor Abiodun thanked Vice President Shettima, who he described as a friend and a leader, saying it is gratifying to celebrate great leaders while they are still alive, thereby motivating others to do more.

Also, the donor and celebrant, Asiwaju Adebola Adegunwa, thanked the governor and all those who made the project a reality, noting that he is reminded by a passage in the Quran which enjoins everyone to spend from that which has been provided for them before it no longer exists.

He said right from his 56th birthday he had made a promise to give back to his community and impact as many lives as possible.

“Olabisi Onabanjo University holds a special place in my heart. On February 21, 1979, when the institution was still known as Obafemi Awolowo College of Health and Science, a group of six distinguished people visited my office to seek support for the institution.

“That meeting led to the establishment of a modern audio centre which I donated in celebration of my 58th birthday on April 4, 1995, and today, it’s still me with pride here with the current Chief Medical Director of the same hospital, Dr. Oluwabunmi Fatungase, among many who benefited from the medical facility during her medical training,” he explained.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Board of Management, Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, Dr Kunle Hassan, said the trauma centre was designed to provide emergency medical care, management of trauma-related cases and significantly enhance the hospital’s capacity to deliver quality healthcare services to the people.

Hassan pledged that the management of the hospital would ensure effective utilisation of the facility and its maintenance so that it will continue to serve the community for generations to come.

He expressed profound gratitude to the donor, Chief Sulaiman Adebola Adegunwa, his foundation and members of his family for the remarkable gift.

“We had a budget of N800 million and instead of N800 million, he (Adegunwa) spent over N2 billion to build and equip the facility,” he said.

On his part, Oba Babatunde Adéwálé Àjàyí, the Akarigbo and Paramount Ruler of Remoland, while commending Chief Adegunwa for his selfless service to humanity, advocated for more federal presence in Remoland.

“Mr. Vice President, please convey to Mr. President, His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, our best wishes and let me note that we have a way of communicating privately but sometimes we say certain things publicly so that our people will know that we are trying.

“We need a lot of federal presence in Remoland. As of today, there is no single federal university or federal polytechnic in Remoland,” the traditional ruler said.

Kobojunkie:
Audio! 😶😶😶😶😶😶

edochie12:
Immediately Peter obi grant interview concerning health care decay in Nigeria,voom apc government don apply it vision,I think Peter should stop granting interviews for now

nedu666:
Audio. Lamba. All na wash. Where is state police, paying LG allocation to LG account. Where is yahoo bello, where is 300 to a Dollar within 2 years. Propaganda no dey development any country

Kobojunkie:
Audio! 😶😶😶😶😶😶

edochie12:
Immediately Peter obi grant interview concerning health care decay in Nigeria,voom apc government don apply it vision,I think Peter should stop granting interviews for now

Asonaijaaso:
The announcement of over 8,800 new Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) is a bold promise — but unrealistic without tackling Nigeria’s current healthcare infrastructure issues.

The Key Problem:

Building PHCs is just one part of the equation. To truly enhance healthcare delivery, the government must:
1. Rehabilitate Existing Centres: Many existing PHCs are dilapidated, underfunded, and lack basic equipment. Restoring these first should take priority.
2. Staffing & Training: There’s a chronic shortage of qualified healthcare professionals in rural areas. Hiring and training medical personnel should be central, not just brick-and-mortar facilities.
3. Essential Medical Supplies: Ensuring a consistent supply of rescue medications and life-saving equipment is critical. Transporting patients to tertiary centers is one part of the equation, but timely intervention at primary care level can save more lives.

A Bigger Concern:
• Announcing a random number of PHCs without clear action or funding isn’t a solution. It’s merely a PR move for headlines. If there’s no clear roadmap for the actual development, it’s just another media masturbation exercise that doesn’t translate to real impact on the ground.

Instead of pumping out numbers to satisfy political optics, the focus should be on rebuilding, resourcing, and staffing existing centres to ensure they deliver the care needed before embarking on building thousands more.

edochie12:
Immediately Peter obi grant interview concerning health care decay in Nigeria,voom apc government don apply it vision,I think Peter should stop granting interviews for now