The NNPC Foundation Limited has donated a modern 1.5 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) system to the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, in a move expected to strengthen specialist healthcare delivery and improve access to advanced diagnostic services across southeastern Nigeria.
Speaking during the commissioning and handover ceremony of the facility on Friday, the Chief Medical Director of NAUTH, Prof. Joseph Ugbaja, described the installation of the MRI machine as a major breakthrough in the hospital’s diagnostic capacity and healthcare services.
Ugbaja said the facility would significantly reduce the burden faced by patients who previously travelled long distances in search of advanced diagnostic scans.
“This is not merely the commissioning of a machine. It is the installation of hope, precision and excellence in healthcare delivery,” he stated.
According to him, the MRI system represents a “quantum leap” in the hospital’s ability to diagnose complex neurological, musculoskeletal and oncological conditions, where early and accurate diagnosis often determines treatment outcomes.
He noted that for years, patients within the hospital’s catchment areas had struggled with limited access to MRI services, high costs and delays associated with referrals to distant diagnostic centres.
“For too long, patients in our catchment area have had to travel long distances to access this level of diagnostic precision, often at prohibitive costs. With this installation, we eliminate that burden and bring world-class diagnostics closer to our people,” Ugbaja said.
The CMD explained that the facility would serve patients from Anambra, Enugu, Imo, Abia, Ebonyi and Delta states, while reducing the need for referrals outside the Southeast region.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging technology is globally regarded as one of the most effective tools for detailed imaging of soft tissues, internal organs, spinal structures and brain-related conditions.
Healthcare experts have consistently identified inadequate diagnostic infrastructure as a major challenge in Nigeria’s healthcare system, particularly in the management of cancer, stroke and neurological disorders where delayed diagnosis often worsens health outcomes.
Managing Director of NNPC Foundation Ltd/Gte, Mrs. Emmanuella Arukwe, said the donation was part of the foundation’s social investment strategy aimed at improving healthcare accessibility and patient outcomes in public hospitals.
“For many families, obtaining critical diagnostic scans such as MRI often requires travelling long distances, enduring extended waiting periods and, in some cases, delaying urgently needed medical care because of cost or limited availability,” Arukwe said.
“This intervention represents far more than the installation of medical equipment. It is a practical investment in healthcare access, diagnostic accuracy and improved patient outcomes,” she added.
She explained that the intervention was designed to address critical gaps in access to quality diagnostic services and support ongoing efforts to strengthen tertiary healthcare institutions in the country.
Ugbaja linked the MRI installation to NAUTH’s 10-year strategic development framework as well as the Federal Government’s healthcare reform agenda under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope programme.
The NAUTH management also emphasized the need for professionalism and adherence to global best practices in operating the facility.
The CMD charged radiologists, consultants, radiographers, nurses and technicians attached to the MRI unit to uphold the highest standards in service delivery.
“Let every image produced here be a testament to excellence. Let every diagnosis be swift and accurate. Let every patient who lies within that bore feel the confidence that they are receiving care comparable to anywhere in the world,” he said.
He further disclosed that the hospital had commenced additional investments in staff training and human resource development to ensure the MRI unit operates at internationally acceptable standards.
“We recognize that equipment alone does not make a great hospital. It is the human beings behind the equipment — their expertise, compassion and dedication,” Ugbaja added.
The commissioning of the MRI facility is expected to improve healthcare access for thousands of patients across southeastern Nigeria by reducing financial strain, shortening diagnosis time and enabling earlier treatment interventions.
