The Health Services and Environment Secretariat (HSES) of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), on Thursday, unveiled Barrister Nyesom Wike (BNW) VIP Ward at Maitama District Hospital, Abuja.
The mandate secretary of the secretariat, Dr Adedolapo Fasawe, explained during the event in Abuja that the ward was designed to provide comfortable and quality healthcare services to patients.
Fasawe explained that the ward was named after the FCT Minister, Wike, for his commitment to improving access to quality healthcare in the FCT.
She added that the ward was transformed from a three-bedroom ward to a five-bedroom amenity with support from kind-hearted individuals, philanthropists and corporate organisations as corporate social responsibility.
Fasawe described the BNW as a “strategic intervention” to ensure that residents going to private hospitals to see doctors because of the conducive environment and facilities could access similar services in public hospitals.
“We want our patient to be comfortable. As we unveil the BNW VIP Ward today, let me reaffirm Wike’s commitment to supporting initiatives that enhance healthcare infrastructure and improve patients’ care.
“This initiative will serve as a beacon of hope and progress in our continued poise to elevate the standard of healthcare in our dear nation,” said Fasawe.
She further disclosed that considering their contributions, doctors and nurses within the HSES system would access the ward’s services for free.
The mandate secretary added that while the ward would be open to every resident who could afford to pay, those with health insurance coverage would access the BNW ward’s services at a subsidised rate.
She also said, so far, the ward had been booked till the end of June.
According to Fasawe, the FCT minister has also made provisions for the rehabilitation and upgrade of 14 general hospitals in the FCT in the 2025 budget, including doctors’ call rooms.
Speaking earlier, the Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Rita Idemudia, explained that the BNW VIP ward was initiated by Fasawe, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
The World Health Organisation (WHO), Country Representative to Nigeria, Dr. Walter Mulombo, congratulated the FCTA HSES for the initiative.
Mulombo advised that the ward should not be accessible only to VIPs: “This is why we are supporting the development of the National Health Insurance so that the scheme can take charge of the expenses for all Nigerians to be admitted in the VIP ward.
Also, the Chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association’s (NMA) FCT Chapter, Dr Emeka Ayogu, commended Wike and Fasawe for the initiative, saying “it will curb medical tourism abroad.”
Ayogu added that the plan to rehabilitate and upgrade FCT general hospitals would equally curb the brain drain in health facilities in the territory.
