Chief of staff to the president, Femi Gbajabiamila, has toured the State House Hospital’s Presidential Wing, a N21 billion facility equipped with world-class medical technology.
Speaking with State House correspondents after the tour yesterday, Gbajabiamila expressed satisfaction with the clinic, emphasising its global standard and high-quality equipment.
He said, “Having been here a few months, let’s have a look and see exactly what is going on.
“I am very impressed, and I’m sure you are as well because you went around with me. This is a clinic like anywhere in the world, you will find, the standard is very high.”
The chief of staff highlighted the advanced medical equipment, including a state-of-the-art Cath Lab and a unique C-ARM.
He expressed contentment that the funds allocated during his tenure as speaker of the House of Representatives had been effectively utilised.
The chairman of clinical services at the State House, Dr Jane Ifechukwu, clarified that the facility’s current status is skeletal, awaiting approval to operationalize.
She said, “What we have here is skeletal, just the way we were having the Villa Clinic. But once we dot the I’s, we can’t take decisions on our own; they give us the go-ahead, and we are good to go.”
When questioned about the timeline for the facility’s full utiliSation, Ifechukwu indicated that decisions were pending approval from higher authorities.
“We actually discourage medical tourism, and I can’t speak now. I am waiting for our principals, our bosses, to do that, and then the permanent secretary will give us a directive, and then we can do it,” she said.