Toheeb Omotayo
The Kwara State Government has intensified its healthcare reform efforts with the recruitment of 150 nurses and the acquisition of a modern Magnetic Resonance Imaging machine to strengthen diagnostic services across the state.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Commissioner for Health, Aminat El-Imam, announced the development while receiving an accreditation team from the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria.
The team, led by Professor Adeboye Muhammad, visited to assess the Paediatrics Department of the Kwara State University Teaching Hospital for accreditation.
El-Imam described the MRI acquisition as a strategic investment to address longstanding diagnostic gaps.
“For years, patients have had to travel outside Kwara for advanced imaging. That gap is what this administration is determined to close,” she said.
She explained that the installation followed months of technical planning to meet international standards.
“This MRI will significantly improve our ability to diagnose neurological disorders, cancers, spinal injuries and stroke-related complications. Accurate diagnosis is the foundation of effective treatment,” she added.
The commissioner disclosed that the MRI forms part of a broader equipment modernisation initiative, revealing that a high-capacity CT scanner would soon be installed at a major health facility in Ilorin.
“When patients travel for scans, it increases treatment delays and costs. With this intervention, we are easing that burden,” she stated.
Beyond infrastructure, El-Imam confirmed that employment letters were being issued to 150 nurses to reinforce staffing across public health facilities.
“We have commenced the employment process for 150 nurses. This is in addition to the 1,050 health workers recruited last year. You cannot improve healthcare delivery without strengthening the workforce,” she said.
Addressing the accreditation team, she reaffirmed the state’s commitment to postgraduate medical training.
The Chief Medical Director of the teaching hospital, Dr Bola AbdulKadir, noted that the institution had expanded its training capacity, securing accreditation in Obstetrics and Gynaecology as well as Family Medicine.
He cited ongoing reforms, including the elevation of a General Hospital to a Teaching Hospital and the construction of a new General Hospital in Ilorin, as part of a coordinated strategy to reposition healthcare delivery.
AbdulKadir also disclosed that the state government had signed Memoranda of Understanding with Thomas Adewumi University and Al-Hikmah University to upgrade selected public hospitals into teaching hospitals.
Muhammad commended the sustained investment in healthcare infrastructure and personnel.
“What we have observed shows deliberate planning and sustained investment. Recruitment of health workers, acquisition of modern equipment and institutional partnerships are critical pillars of healthcare reform,” he said, assuring continued institutional support for specialist medical education.
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