The NNPC Foundation has donated and handed over a 1.5 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) system to the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Dala, Kano, to improve access to advanced diagnostic services in Northern Nigeria.
During the inauguration of the facility yesterday, the group chief executive officer of NNPC Limited, Bashir Ojulari, represented by the managing director of NNPC Foundation, Emmanuella Arukwe, said the intervention was part of the organisation’s commitment to supporting healthcare delivery across the country.
He said the company, through its social investment arm, had continued to implement projects that improve the lives of Nigerians, particularly in critical sectors such as health.
Ojulari noted that the MRI installation followed similar interventions by the foundation, including the donation of advanced medical equipment to hospitals in Lagos and Anambra states.
According to him, the facility will strengthen the diagnostic capacity of the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Dala and improve access to specialised healthcare services for residents of Kano and neighbouring states.
“The installed MRI equipment will revolutionise healthcare service delivery in Nigeria’s northern region. It will improve diagnosis, reduce the burden on patients and enhance access to quality healthcare,” he said.
Also speaking, Executive Vice President, Business Services, NNPC Limited, Sophia Mbakwe, represented by Executive Director, Programme Management, NNPC Foundation, said the donation reflected the company’s commitment to delivering sustainable social impact.
She said the equipment would improve the hospital’s ability to diagnose orthopaedic, neurological and musculoskeletal conditions while making advanced healthcare services more accessible and affordable.
In his remarks, Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, represented by the Commissioner for Health, Dr Yusuf Labaran, described the donation as a major boost to healthcare delivery in the state.
He said the MRI machine would enhance early detection and accurate diagnosis of diseases, reducing the need for patients to travel outside the state or country for specialised imaging services.
Earlier, the hospital’s Medical Director, Dr Isa Nurudeen, said the absence of an MRI machine had posed a major challenge to the facility for years.
He noted that patients often travelled long distances to access such services, leading to delays in diagnosis and treatment.
Nurudeen described the donation as a milestone for the hospital, adding that the equipment would significantly improve patient care and support specialised medical services across Kano and the North-West region.