Rauf Oyewole, Bauchi
The Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) has handed over a $500,000 state-of-the-art haematology and blood transfusion laboratory complex to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), aimed at strengthening the quality of healthcare services at the facility.
Speaking at the official handover ceremony on Thursday, NLNG’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Philip Mshelbila, said the project forms part of the company’s nationwide Hospital Support Programme (HSP). Represented by Mrs Sophia Horsfall, Executive Relations and Sustainable Development Officer, Mshelbila explained that similar initiatives have been undertaken in other regions across Nigeria.
He noted that the new facility is the result of a detailed needs assessment, designed to significantly improve diagnostic capability and provide enhanced support for clinicians and patients alike.
“The programme, which commenced in 2021, has now been extended to 12 federal university teaching hospitals across all six geopolitical zones and the Federal Capital Territory,” he stated.
Mshelbila further noted NLNG’s long-standing commitment to national development: “Over the past two decades, we have contributed to government revenue, allocated 100% of our LPG production to the domestic market, and continued to support local businesses that partner with us. We also invest in critical infrastructure, such as the laboratory being commissioned today. All of this aligns with our vision of sustainably improving lives.”
In his remarks, the Chief Medical Director of ATBUTH, Professor Yusuf Bara, expressed deep appreciation for the gesture, describing it as a milestone in the hospital’s quest for excellence in medical service delivery.
“This event is not merely about unveiling a building. It represents a bold step towards unlocking potential, demonstrating resilience, and reaffirming a commitment to quality healthcare for the people of Bauchi, the Northeast, and Nigeria as a whole,” he said.
Professor Bara stressed the growing importance of accurate diagnostics, early disease detection, and robust medical research, especially as Nigeria continues to grapple with a dual burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases.
He pointed to recent Lassa fever outbreaks, rising cancer rates, and increasing antibiotic resistance as pressing public health concerns.
“This facility stands as a crucial response mechanism, equipped with the necessary tools, technology, and skilled personnel to detect, analyse, and guide timely medical interventions,” he said.
“By constructing this laboratory, NLNG is doing far more than raising walls; it is fortifying the nation against its most insidious threats, undiagnosed illnesses and delayed treatments,” the CMD concluded.