President Muhammadu Buhari will open the state-of-the-art Presidential/VIP Wing of State House Medical Centre, Abuja, on Friday, May 19, less than two weeks after leaving the presidency.
This was revealed on Wednesday by Abiodun Oladunjoye, the State House's director of information.
According to him, on November 1, 2021, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, the President's Chief of Staff, performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the legacy project, which is located on the grounds of the Presidential Villa.
The hospital, which acts as a specialist Intensive Care Centre and has a staggering total floor space of 2,485 square meters on a suspended level with a basement, offers state-of-the-art medical equipment and care to the President, Vice President, and their immediate families as well as VIPs.
Five consultation rooms for various specialties, including respiratory, cardiology, ophthalmology, ENT, and general consultation are located in the Presidential/VIP Wing and will be manned by a team of medical specialists.
The hospital also contains a diagnostic suite with MRI, CT scan, and endoscopic equipment as well as a specialist X-ray room with a digital X-ray machine.
Additionally, a Healing Garden that promotes healing, relaxation, and improvement of general well-being is available to patients and guests.
The VIP Wing has a Catheterization Laboratory (Cath lab), two operating rooms for routine surgeries, and extraordinary procedures including organ transplants. It cost a total of N21 billion and was finished on time and within budget.
Following the ribbon-cutting event, President Buhari and the Permanent Secretary of the State House, Tijjani Umar, will take a guided tour of the facility.
"In closing up his two terms as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mr. President graciously agreed to launch this legacy and transformative initiative," the Permanent Secretary stated.
"Since the start of this project in 2021, the State House Management has completed a number of projects successfully, including a Special Care Centre, Biosafety Level 2 Molecular Laboratory, certified by the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC), a medium capacity incinerator, and the Dental Wing Extension Building at the State House Medical Centre, Asokoro, a block of 2-bedroom flats at the Staff Quarters of the Medical Centre, as well as a 54-seater State House Mult.
"The Modern Fleet Management hub and the Conference Car Unit (CCU) workshop will be commissioned next week," he continued.