The Federal Government has backed the introduction of robotic surgery in Nigeria, saying the technology will expand access to specialised healthcare and reduce the need for Nigerians to travel abroad for treatment.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, stated this in Lagos on Saturday at the launch of Redeemer’s Health Village’s robotic surgery programme.
Salako said the initiative was part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system and attract more private-sector investment.
“The best in the world are now converging here, and I urge all of us to patronise when the need arises,” he said.
He said the new technology would allow Nigerians to access advanced surgical care locally.
“With the new capacity, a farmer from Ondo, a teacher from Ekiti, a trader from Ogun or any part of Nigeria will no longer need a passport to access world-class surgical intervention,” Salako said.
The Minister said the Federal Government recognises the private sector as a key player in healthcare delivery, noting that it provides more than half of healthcare services in the country.
“The Federal Government recognises the critical role of the private sector, which delivers more than half of healthcare services in the country,” he said.
Salako said the government would continue to create an enabling environment for investment in high-end medical services.
He said initiatives such as the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC) and the Presidential Executive Order on the Health Sector were designed to “strengthen domestic capacity, stimulate investment and support a more resilient health system.”
The robotic surgery programme is a partnership between Redeemer’s Health Village and RoboMed Global Inc. of the United States, a Nigerian diaspora-led enterprise, with an investment of about $4 million.
Salako said the partnership reflects the government’s efforts to attract diaspora expertise and capital into Nigeria’s healthcare sector.
“The initiative reflects the administration’s policy direction to attract diaspora expertise and capital into the domestic health sector,” he said.
He also disclosed that the programme would include a structured training and certification pathway for surgeons across the country.
Salako described the training as “a commendable opportunity to update the clinical skills of Nigerian surgeons in line with emerging medical technology.”
He commended the leadership of Redeemer’s Health Village and its partners for establishing the programme, describing it as “an example of what can be achieved when investment, innovation and partnership are brought together to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system.”
The Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to working with the private sector, diaspora professionals and other stakeholders to build a healthcare system focused on “equity, affordability and the capacity to meet the healthcare needs of Nigerians within the country.”