Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The NNPC Foundation has boosted specialised healthcare delivery in Northern Nigeria with the donation of a state-of-the-art 1.5 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging, MRI, system to the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Dala, Kano State, a move expected to improve diagnostic capacity and reduce patients’ dependence on distant medical facilities.
The intervention, undertaken by the corporate social responsibility arm of NNPC Ltd., is designed to strengthen healthcare infrastructure and improve access to advanced diagnostic services for orthopaedic, neurological, trauma, musculoskeletal and gynaecological conditions.
Prior to the donation, patients requiring MRI scans often faced long travel distances, extended waiting periods and delayed treatment due to the limited availability and high cost of advanced diagnostic equipment.
Speaking during the commissioning and handover ceremony at the hospital in Kano, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd., represented by the Managing Director of NNPC Foundation, Mrs. Emmanuella Arukwe, said the project reflects the company’s commitment to delivering strategic social investments that create lasting impact.
“At NNPC Limited, we are intentional about ensuring that our social investments are impactful, sustainable, and beneficial to the communities we serve. Through the NNPC Foundation, we would continue to implement interventions that create measurable social value across Nigeria,” she said.
Arukwe described the MRI donation as a timely intervention that addresses critical healthcare infrastructure deficits and supports the growing demand for specialised medical services across the country.
She noted that strengthening healthcare facilities remains essential to improving the quality of medical care available to Nigerians and reducing the burden associated with accessing advanced diagnostic services.
Also speaking, the Executive Vice President, Business Services, NNPC Ltd., Mrs. Sophia Mbakwe, represented by the Executive Director, Programme Management at NNPC Foundation, Mrs. Rose Okonkwo, said the national oil company remains committed to delivering value beyond energy production.
“Today’s event is a testament to our steadfast commitment to deliver measurable impacts and scalable sustainable interventions to communities across Nigeria, inclusively targeting under-served and vulnerable members of the society,” Okonkwo stated.
She added: “By this intervention, NNPC Limited aims to strengthen healthcare delivery and improve the quality of life of the people of Kano State, the North-West geopolitical zone and, by extension, all Nigerians who depend on the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Dala for specialised medical care.”
The Kano State Government welcomed the donation, describing it as a major boost to healthcare delivery and diagnostic services in the region.
Representing Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, the Commissioner for Health, Mr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, commended NNPC Foundation for the intervention, noting that the MRI facility would significantly improve early detection, diagnosis and treatment of complex medical conditions.
He described the donation as a milestone in the state’s efforts to improve healthcare outcomes and expand access to quality medical services.
In his remarks, the Chief Medical Director of the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Dala, Dr. Isa Nurudeen, expressed gratitude to NNPC Ltd. and the Foundation for the support, saying the MRI system would have a transformative impact on the hospital’s operations.
According to him, the equipment will enhance the hospital’s capacity to provide specialised diagnostic services, improve patient care and reduce delays in treatment.
The event attracted representatives of NNPC Ltd., healthcare professionals, government officials, community leaders and other stakeholders, highlighting growing collaboration between the corporate sector and public health institutions in addressing critical healthcare challenges across Nigeria.
