Church donates $27m worth of medical equipment, projects to Nigeria

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has donated 27 million dollars’ worth of medical equipment and funded key projects since it began its humanitarian works in Nigeria.

Mr Gifford Nielson, President, Africa West Area of the church, said this while donating medical equipment to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abuja on Tuesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the equipment include: three modern hemodialysis machines, three electric dialysis chairs, two patients monitor and two infusion pumps.

Others are, three syringe pumps, two infant incubators, water treatment plants, renovation of the paediatrics ward, among other supplies and equipment.

He said that the church in its quest to contribute to the social, economic, health and spiritual health of Nigerians, had consistently partnered with the Ministry of Health to fund key projects.

According to him, the donation to the hospital is one of its gestures aimed at relieving some of the burdens on medical personnel, ease suffering of Nigerians and to save lives.

The president said that the donated equipment also aims to improve neonatal experience, decrease infant mortality and ease the suffering of those with kidney diseases.

“Over the last few years, the Church has developed a special relationship with the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Health as part of our humanitarian efforts.

“During this time, we donated 27 million dollars’ worth of various projects throughout Nigeria.

“These projects include collaboration with the Nigerian Eye Foundation, the Pediatric Association of Nigeria and with the World Health Organisation, we are expecting to donate an additional 3.5 million dollars in 2023,” he said.

Nielson however urged management of the hospital and the entire Abuja community to protect and maintain the equipment for present and future generations.

“It is our wish that this donation, given in love, will stand the test of time and help increase positive health outcomes at FMC for many years to come,” he added.

Also speaking, Dr Salma Anas, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Health Matters, appreciated the church for the donation, adding that it would help in reversing medical tourism in the country.

“This donation could not have been more timely especially with the increasing cases of Kidney problems in Nigeria and we are still trying to investigate the causes behind the high cases of kidney problems in Nigeria.

“And the cost of management of kidney problems is beyond what the poor can purchase, so this is very dear to us and highly appreciated.

“This institution has only two dialysis machines and it cannot meet the very high demands.

“We are very happy to associate and work with you, this will increase access and affordability to the patients and serve as means of training our teeming health workers,” she said.

On his part, Mr Olufunso Adebiyi, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, added that the donations would go a long way in preserving and elongating the life of patients suffering from kidney and infant-related conditions.

He also thanked the donors for their humanitarian gesture, while calling on the hospital management to ensure adequate maintenance of the lifesaving machines.

Prof. Saad Ahmed, Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the hospital assured that the center would be committed to maintenance of the equipment, adding that it would continue to meet the health needs of Nigerians.

“Our average monthly attendance of patients assessing services has increased three folds since the last three years, from 5,000 to more than 15,000 per month.

“This has given rise to more need for space expansion and some medical equipment like the magnetic resonance imaging, complex surgery equipment and oncology equipment.

“We are looking forward to starting kidney transplant soon and having a renal complex with many dialysis machines in the near future,” he said. (NAN)