“Promise fulfilled: First-class healthcare services for cancer patients - Buhari.

“Promise fulfilled: First-class healthcare services for cancer patients - Buhari.

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday inaugurated the advanced Cancer treatment centre Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) in Lagost, with a promise that the model will be replicated across the country to bring quality, first-class healthcare services to cancer patients in Nigeria.

According to a statement by presidential spokesman Femi Adesina, the president inaugurated the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) and Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) state-of-the-art Centre at LUTH, Idi Araba, on Saturday.

According to a statement by presidential spokesman Femi Adesina, the president inaugurated the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) and Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) state-of-the-art Centre at LUTH, Idi Araba, on Saturday.

Today, we showcase what feats we can accomplish when we are together, unrelenting in our effort to deliver a common objective.

 ‘‘No one ever prays to be diagnosed with Cancer, but if they are, what we have made possible here today is the hope that a true chance of survival and good quality of life becomes part of the story of many Nigerian patients with cancer,’’ he said. President Buhari acknowledged that his administration had introduced programmes to alleviate common diseases, including the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund targeted at ensuring access to primary healthcare for all Nigerians. 

He, therefore, assured that the federal government would continue to push hard to raise awareness about cancer, educate the people and facilitate early diagnosis. The president noted that this objective was part of his solemn commitment to Nigerians four years ago to improve the quality of health care in the country. President Buhari, who performed the ceremony after attending the APC presidential campaign rally at the Teslim Balogun Stadium Surulere, Lagos, said his administration had focused on greater investment in the sector. He added that the government would continue to work hard to ensure increased access to safe, high-quality healthcare.

‘‘We promised to effect policies that would remove debilitating constraints on the sector and create sustainable structures to strengthen our healthcare institutions. 

‘‘Today, we are gathered here to acknowledge the modest but laudable strides we are making in fulfilling that promise. We recognize that progress in the health sector is handicapped by several bottlenecks. ‘‘Accordingly, we have worked and we will continue to work to ensure that systems are introduced to bridge these gaps,’’ he said.

The President told the audience at LUTH that the Federal Government had created an enabling environment for institutions such as the NSIA to help fund high impact projects on time and on budget, thereby delivering immense value for the citizens.