Peterside: Nigeria To Transform Into A Medical Hub if…
• Ties quality healthcare to innovations, capacity building
By PHC Telegraph
A turnaround maintenance expert in the country has expressed very strong optimism that Nigeria would transform into a medical hub. But he said that in a bid to achieve the goal there must be the right kind of leadership and technical capacity in place.
Dakuku Peterside, one-time federal lawmaker and former Director General of NIMASA who spoke while receiving an award during as the 2025 Afrihealth Conference and Exhibition which held in Lagos acknowledged efforts being made to develop the health delivery sector.
“I want to give a special appreciation to the AFRIHEALTH Development Foundation for creating this amazing platform that brings together health professionals and allied service providers from all corners to share knowledge and exchange ideas”, Peterside emphasized.
Peterside further noted, “I also acknowledge the hard work and dedication of healthcare professionals in Nigeria, who too often have their contributions go unnoticed.”
The former NIMASA boss thanked the organisation for the honour bestowed on him, saying, “It is a real honor to receive an award from the AFRIHEALTH Development Foundation, recognizing my efforts in healthcare advocacy over the years.
“This recognition means a lot to me and motivates me to stay even more engaged in advancing our healthcare system.”
He observed that consistent innovations in the healthcare sector and capacity building would raise quality standards, accessibility, affordability, and efficiency of health care systems.
Dr Peterside stated that consistent innovations would also help enable data-driven decisions, whilst helping health providers to predict outbreaks, tailor treatments, and ultimately improve patient outcomes.
He commended entrepreneurs in the healthcare sector, who he says are true problem-solvers, tackling critical challenges and pushing the boundaries of what is possible.
Dr Peterside commended the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate and his Minister of State counterpart , Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako for demonstrating exceptional leadership in transforming Nigeria’s health sector.
According to him, “the recent reforms in the healthcare sector, which have been recognized globally, gives us hope of a bright future for Nigeria. I have faith that one day Nigeria will be a hub for medical tourism , if we get leadership and technical capacity right “
He particularly pointed out the effort of Dr. Pate to make Nigeria a hub for local manufacturing of biologics, vaccines, and pharmaceuticals, thus ensuring better access to essential and quality medicines.
Among top speakers at the event were Felix Erondu, a Professor of Radiography, Prof. Lere Baale,CEO and Professor at Business School Netherlands Nigeria (BSNN) and others.