National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria commends Gov Mbah on Enugu International Hospital

…….Pledges support for specialist training, medical tourism reversal

National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN) has commended the Governor of Enugu state, Dr Peter Mbah for taking a bold step in building a 300- bed Enugu International Hospital, lauding his plan to operationalise it as a centre for world-class specialist healthcare and postgraduate medical training.

The Nigeria’s apex medical college also ,pledged institutional support to realise Governor Peter Mbah’s vision of reversing medical tourism in Nigeria.

Pix- Professor Anthony Ikefuna, on Tuesday , August 5Th,2026,commended Governor Mbah on the Enugu International hospital in Enugu.

President of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, Professor Anthony Ikefuna gave the commendation on Tuesday , August 5Th,2026, when he led a delegation of the ,College on an inspection of the multi-billion-naira Enugu International Hospital on the sidelines of the College’s Annual Scientific Conference and All Fellows Congress (ASCAP) in Enugu.

Receiving the delegation on behalf of Governor Peter Mbah, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr Yomi Jaiye, said the hospital was deliberately conceived to solve the challenge of Nigerians travelling abroad for medical care rather than simply constructing another government facility

Dr Jaiye speaking on the 300-bed Enugu International hospital,Enugu.

According to him, the project which is located on Rangers Avenue, Independence Layout,Enugu, was inspired by the painful experience of losing a critically ill patient after spending huge sums of dollars on overseas medical evacuation and treatment.
“This hospital was not built because we just wanted to build brick and mortar. It was purpose-driven, intentional and inspired by His Excellency’s determination to reverse medical tourism in all its ramifications,” Dr Jaiye said

SPA, Dr Jaiye

He explained that Governor Mbah’s vision is to make Enugu a destination where Nigerians can access world-class healthcare without leaving the country.
“The idea is to bring patients back home for quality medical care while also reducing the Japa syndrome by creating an enabling environment for specialist training,” he said

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Dr Jaiye disclosed that evacuating a critically ill patient abroad once cost the state about 120,000 US dollars for air ambulance services alone, in addition to hospital bills, doctors’ fees and other medical expenses, yet the patient could not be saved.
“We lost the patient after spending an enormous amount of money. His Excellency then reasoned that if such resources were invested in developing our own medical infrastructure, many lives would be saved here at home. That was the genesis of this project,” he said.

The Enugu International hospital,Enugu and some of it’s equipment

He noted that the 300-bed hospital would function as part of a broader healthcare and economic ecosystem being developed by the state government.
“Imagine travelling six hours to the United Kingdom for treatment, paying for flights, accommodation and hospital bills in foreign currency. Now imagine receiving that same standard of care here in Enugu. You simply fly from Kano to Enugu, stay in our revitalised hospitality facilities and receive world-class healthcare at Enugu International Hospital. That is the vision.”
He added that the visit by the country’s apex postgraduate medical institution was aimed at obtaining expert guidance before the hospital becomes fully operational.

“They came to tell us what needs to be done to operationalise this place. As we activate each unit, we will continue knocking on your doors for quality assurance, protocol development and specialist support.
“We cannot do this with buildings alone. We cannot do it with equipment alone. We need competent men and women. That is why we are seeking this partnership,” he stated.

Professor Ikefuna, appreciating Gov Mbah’s vision to improving healthcare services in Enugu state.

Speaking on behalf of the delegation, the President of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria., Prof Anthony Ikefuna described the facility as one of the most impressive hospitals he had visited and commended Governor Peter Mbah for his bold investment in healthcare.
“I have to be honest with you. I live in Enugu and when I entered this place, I simply said, ‘Wow.’ This is a massive facility, and I like what you have laid out for it,” Ezeanolue said

SPA to the Governor on Health,Dr Yomi Jaiye receiving a handshake from the medical team.

He explained that the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, established by law as Nigeria’s apex postgraduate medical training institution, accredits hospitals for residency training and certifies medical specialists across 17 faculties covering medicine, surgery and dentistry.

The President said the hospital has enormous potential to become a leading centre for specialist healthcare and postgraduate medical education.
“I must commend His Excellency for this vision. It is not easy to conceive a project of this magnitude, and it is my prayer that the purpose of this initiative will be achieved. All our fellows and consultants in various specialties will offer their best so that the mission and vision of this place can be realised,” he said.

Professor Ikefuna further urged the Enugu State Government to pursue accreditation for specialist residency programmes in strategic areas such as Interventional Cardiology and Radiation and Clinical Oncology, assuring the state of the College’s technical support.

“We already have curricula for these programmes. As you develop them, come to us. We will guide you through the accreditation process and help build the specialist manpower required. This is how centres of excellence are developed,” he stated.

Asked whether the delegation observed any major shortcomings during its inspection, the NPMCN President said only minor adjustments were recommended.
“We made a few observations during our tour. They are not major issues; they are simply areas that require some modifications. Overall, it is a fantastic place,” he said.

The visit marks another significant step in the Enugu State Government’s efforts to position the Enugu International Hospital as a regional referral centre for advanced healthcare, specialist training, research and innovation, while reducing Nigeria’s dependence on costly overseas medical treatment.

Accompanying Prof Anthony Ikefuna, the President of the National Postgraduate Medical College od Nigeria, were the Registrar, Professor Temitope Esan, , the Vice President Prof Innocent Ikem, the Treasurer, Dr Abdulkadir Ibrahim and many other Doctors.