The Federal Government has directed healthcare institutions across the country to institute regular audits and maintenance of medical equipment as part of efforts to improve service delivery, reduce downtime, and enhance patient outcomes.
The charge was given at the opening of a five-day Capacity Building Workshop for Biomedical Engineers held at the National Hospital, Abuja.
This was contained in a statement on Wednesday, 18th February, 2026, by Ado Barko, Assistant Director, Head, Information and Public Relations to the Ministry.
The training, organised by Healthy Living Communications Limited and the College of Biomedical Engineering and Technology (CBET) in partnership with the Hospital Services Department of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, aims to strengthen technical expertise in managing and maintaining critical medical devices.
Representing the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, his Special Assistant, Dr. Babatunde Akinyemi, said biomedical engineers remain central to the effective functioning of hospital equipment.
He noted that no matter how sophisticated medical devices may be, they would remain underutilised or dysfunctional without competent personnel to manage them.
“This workshop seeks to reawaken the professional consciousness of our biomedical engineers, refresh their technical skills, and reposition them to safeguard our expanding stock of health assets,” he said.
The Ministry also disclosed that it has commenced a National Biomedical Equipment Audit and is developing a National Biomedical Equipment Maintenance Framework to institutionalise preventive maintenance schedules across Federal Tertiary Hospitals and Medical Centres nationwide.
As part of broader reforms, the government is upgrading teaching facilities at five Federal Teaching Hospitals that host Schools of Biomedical Engineering — University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, and University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.
Earlier, Project Director of Healthy Living Communications Limited, Chief Emmanuel Oriakhi, said many hospitals across the country still have valuable equipment that is either abandoned or poorly maintained.
He commended the Ministry’s commitment to strengthening biomedical engineering practice, stressing that the programme would help safeguard investments in health infrastructure and entrench a culture of routine maintenance.
Mr. Oriakhi added that the capacity-building initiative aligns with the ongoing expansion of health infrastructure under the present administration, noting that improvements in equipment standards and personnel development are gradually positioning Nigeria as a competitive destination for medical services.
Representing the Director of Hospital Services at the Ministry, Dame Francisca Okafor, Director of Regulatory and Professional Schools Division, described the workshop as a strategic intervention designed to ensure that investments in the health sector yield sustainable results for Nigerians.
Registrar of CBET, Dr. Kennedy Ejeta, said the training was structured to equip biomedical engineers with cutting-edge skills needed to drive innovation and prepare hospitals for emerging healthcare challenges.
He noted that the programme would also foster collaboration across federal, state, and private health institutions.
The Chief Medical Director of the National Hospital, Abuja, Professor Mohammed Mahmood, Chief Trainer Engineer Dr. Awafung Emmanuel Adie, and managing directors of medical equipment companies were among stakeholders who addressed participants at the event.
Delivering a goodwill message on behalf of the Country Director of FHI 360, Engineer Eberechi Ndukwe-Bello stressed the need to bridge the gap between acquiring medical equipment and ensuring its effective operation.
She highlighted the importance of equipping biomedical engineers with the knowledge and protective tools required to manage critical devices such as liquid oxygen tanks and oxygen analysers.
Abuja Times reports that the workshop features hands-on demonstrations, theoretical sessions, and practical maintenance modules.
Participants drawn from federal, state, and private healthcare institutions are expected to return to their facilities as change agents capable of reducing equipment downtime, promoting cost-effective maintenance culture, and encouraging local innovation.
The Federal Government reaffirmed its commitment to modernising health infrastructure and strengthening the nation’s healthcare system through strategic investments, professional training, and partnerships with local and international stakeholders.