Tinubu Approves 8,800 New Health Centres Nationwide, As Shettima Commissions Trauma Centre in Ogun
Sagamu, Ogun State – President Bola Tinubu has approved the establishment of 8,800 new Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) across Nigeria, as well as the upgrade of existing tertiary health institutions to tackle trauma, oncology, and infectious disease control.
Vice President Kashim Shettima made this known on Saturday during the commissioning of the Sulaiman Adebola Adegunwa Trauma Centre at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH) in Sagamu, Ogun State.
Speaking at the event, the Vice President emphasized the Federal Government’s commitment to revitalizing the health sector through strategic investments and public-private partnerships. He noted that while the government is committed to improving healthcare infrastructure, the private sector must play a more active role.
“Government alone cannot shoulder this burden. The private sector must rise to the challenge,” Shettima said.
He described the new trauma centre as a “lifeline” for emergency healthcare and a symbol of the administration’s commitment to life-saving interventions, particularly as Nigeria grapples with urbanisation and rising public health risks.
The trauma centre, built by the Sulaiman Adebola Adegunwa Foundation, is part of the broader Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative of the Tinubu administration. The initiative includes:
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Establishing 8,800 new PHCs nationwide
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Upgrading tertiary institutions for trauma, cancer, and infectious disease care
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Expanding National Health Insurance to cover all Nigerians
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Implementing a Digital Health Information Management System
“This centre is more than a birthday gift; it is a gift to humanity,” Shettima said, praising the philanthropic gesture of Chief Adebola Adegunwa, who marked his 80th birthday with the launch of the world-class medical facility.
Governor Dapo Abiodun hailed the contribution as monumental, recalling the transformation of OOUTH from a ghost facility to a leading medical institution. He commended the hospital’s governing board and the Chief Medical Director, Dr. Oluwabunmi Fatungase, for the positive turnaround.
Adegunwa, a renowned businessman and former Chairman of Sterling Bank Plc, expressed joy at fulfilling a lifelong vow to give back to his community. He recounted how he first supported the hospital in 1995 with the donation of a modern audio centre, a gesture that left a lasting legacy in the institution.
“From my 56th birthday, I made a personal commitment to impact as many lives as possible,” he noted.
The Chairman of the OOUTH Board, Dr. Kunle Hassan, revealed that although the project was initially budgeted at ₦800 million, Chief Adegunwa spent over ₦2 billion to fully fund and equip the trauma centre, significantly boosting the hospital’s emergency care capacity.
The Akarigbo and Paramount Ruler of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Adewale Ajayi, also commended the project, while appealing to the Federal Government for greater federal presence in Remoland, particularly in the form of federal tertiary institutions.
“We have no federal university or polytechnic in Remoland. This must change,” the monarch told the Vice President.
The Sulaiman Adebola Adegunwa Trauma Centre is expected to serve generations of Nigerians, setting a new standard in emergency medical services in the region.
— The Bureau Newspaper
