The Federal Government has called on healthcare institutions across Nigeria to institutionalize regular audits and maintenance of medical equipment as part of efforts to improve healthcare quality and patient outcomes nationwide.
This directive was issued during the opening ceremony of a five-day Capacity Building Workshop for Biomedical Engineers held Tuesday at the National Hospital Abuja. The training was organised by Healthy Living Communications Limited and the College of Biomedical Engineering and Technology (CBET) in partnership with the Hospital Services Department of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
Representing the Honourable Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, his Special Assistant, Dr. Babatunde Akinyemi, emphasized the critical role biomedical engineers play in ensuring optimal functionality of medical equipment across healthcare facilities. He noted that sophisticated medical machines often remain underutilized or become non-functional without skilled professionals to maintain them.
According to him, the workshop aimed to refresh technical competencies, strengthen professional standards, and reposition biomedical engineers to safeguard Nigeria’s growing stock of healthcare assets.
He highlighted ongoing ministry initiatives, including the upgrade of teaching facilities at federal institutions hosting Schools of Biomedical Engineering such as the 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.
The Ministry, he added, has commenced a National Biomedical Equipment Audit and is developing a National Biomedical Equipment Maintenance Framework to institutionalize preventive maintenance schedules across federal tertiary hospitals and medical centres.
Earlier in his remarks, Project Director of Healthy Living Communications Limited, Chief Emmanuel Oriakhi, welcomed participants and observed that many hospitals possess valuable equipment that remains unused or poorly maintained. He commended the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare for prioritizing biomedical engineering capacity development, noting that the initiative would help safeguard investments in hospital infrastructure while promoting a culture of maintenance.
Oriakhi said strengthening biomedical engineering capacity has become increasingly important amid ongoing healthcare infrastructure expansion under the current administration, adding that improvements in equipment standards and personnel capacity are gradually positioning Nigeria as a potential medical tourism destination.
Also speaking, Dame Francisca Okafor, Director of Regulatory and Professional Schools Division, representing the Director of the Hospital Services Department, described the workshop as a strategic intervention aimed at improving equipment performance and ensuring sustainability of health sector investments.
Registrar of CBET, Dr. Kennedy Ejeta, stated that the training programme is designed to equip biomedical engineers with modern technical skills required to drive healthcare innovation and enhance service delivery nationwide.
Goodwill messages were delivered by several stakeholders, including representatives of FHI 360, where Engineer Eberechi Ndukwe-Bello emphasized the need to bridge the gap between acquiring medical equipment and operating it efficiently. She noted that the training would equip engineers with practical knowledge and safety tools needed to manage critical devices such as liquid oxygen systems and oxygen analyzers essential for patient care.
The workshop attracted biomedical engineers from federal, state, and private health institutions for hands-on demonstrations, technical sessions, and maintenance modules aimed at reducing equipment downtime and promoting cost-effective maintenance culture.
The Federal Government reaffirmed its commitment to modernizing health infrastructure, strengthening professionalism, and improving Nigeria’s healthcare system through sustained investments, technical training, and strategic partnerships with local and international stakeholders.
