The Federal Government has called on the private sector to take a more active role in transforming Nigeria’s healthcare system by investing in local production, standardisation, and proper maintenance of medical equipment.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Adekunle Salako, made the call during the commissioning of the national secretariat of the Healthcare Equipment and Allied Products Providers Association of Nigeria (HEPAN) in Abuja. He said the association’s work aligns with the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, which focuses on improving governance, expanding access to care, and strengthening health security through the industrialisation of the sector.
Salako stressed that reliable and well-maintained medical technologies are essential for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment. He urged HEPAN members to help unlock the health value chain by ensuring the availability of quality infrastructure, equipment, and diagnostics, adding that reducing equipment downtime through regular training and strategic partnerships should be a top priority.
“The journey towards achieving zero use of substandard medical equipment and reagents requires your full and undiluted commitment,” he said.
Highlighting government efforts to boost domestic production, Salako pointed to the Presidential Executive Order of June 28, 2024, which removed tariffs, import duties, and VAT on vital raw materials as a major incentive for local manufacturing. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to public-private partnerships and noted that Nigeria remains open for business and investment in the health technology sector.
Speaking at the event, the Federal Capital Territory Administration’s Mandate Secretary for Health Services and Environment, Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, described the commissioning as a significant milestone in improving healthcare delivery. She said the association’s focus on equipment calibration, quality sourcing, and standardisation forms the foundation of accurate medical outcomes and patient care.
“The results from your tests drive the kind of treatment and drugs patients receive. This is why standardisation is critical to achieving reliable healthcare outcomes,” she noted, pledging continued collaboration with HEPAN to strengthen local capacity, promote quality assurance, and ensure regulatory compliance.
Chairman of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), FCT chapter, Musa Wazani, praised HEPAN for fostering collaboration among stakeholders and ensuring that only certified medical devices are used. He added that such efforts could significantly reduce medical tourism by ensuring imported equipment meets Nigerian standards and manufacturers’ specifications.
“This will also address the trend of patients being referred from one facility to another to repeat tests due to lack of standardisation,” Wazani said, calling on regulatory agencies to verify and validate all medical devices to maintain healthcare service integrity.
HEPAN President, Dr. Ifeanyichukwu Nwankwo, said the association was established to eliminate fake and substandard medical devices through self-regulation and peer accountability. He explained that every member must sign a pledge not to import or distribute substandard products, warning that violators would be permanently expelled.
Nwankwo revealed that HEPAN’s oversight extends across major equipment markets in the country, and members are shifting toward local manufacturing, with new factories set to open in Port Harcourt and Anambra soon. He commended the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare for its commitment to partnering with HEPAN to strengthen regulation and ensure compliance in the sector.
The event brought together key government officials, professional bodies, and private sector players to discuss strategies for improving healthcare equipment quality and reducing dependence on imported technologies, a move expected to boost confidence in Nigeria’s healthcare system and support the country’s drive toward universal health coverage.
