The Chief Medical Director of Modibbo Adama University Teaching Hospital (MAUTH), Yola, Prof. Adamu Girei, has called for integrated diagnostics, molecular medicine and medical technology to transform Nigeria’s healthcare system.
Girei spoke on Saturday at the 6th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the Medical and Dental Specialists Association in Basic Medical Sciences (MESBAN), held at Modibbo Adama University (MAU), Yola.
He said access to advanced molecular diagnostics remained uneven, forcing many patients to travel long distances for specialised investigations that could be provided through a coordinated referral network.
“Retaining highly trained medical and scientific professionals remains a challenge.
“These challenges should stimulate innovation, collaboration and strategic investment, not discourage stakeholders.
“Nigeria has the human capital, academic institutions, teaching hospitals, professional associations and research potential to develop stronger diagnostic capabilities,” he said.
Girei called for stronger partnerships among universities, teaching hospitals, research institutions, public health laboratories and the private sector. He also urged local research into diseases and genetic variations relevant to Nigerians.
He said diagnostic priorities should reflect the country’s disease burden, epidemiological realities and available resources.
Girei called for urgent investment in laboratory infrastructure, molecular diagnostics, digital health systems, biomedical engineering and the training of specialised personnel.
He said integrating diagnostics, molecular medicine and medical technology presented Nigeria with both significant challenges and opportunities.
The CMD said a modern teaching hospital should be seen not only as a centre for treatment and training, but also as a hub for scientific discovery, diagnostic innovation, technology development and translational research.
Teaching hospitals, he said, could bring together clinicians, scientists, academics, engineers and researchers. They should lead integrated diagnostic pathways, establish specialised molecular laboratories, and strengthen pathology and imaging services.
Girei urged universities, teaching hospitals, research institutions, professional associations, policymakers and development partners to seize the opportunity.
“Let us build institutions where disciplines collaborate, where discoveries translate into clinical benefits, where technology improves access and where patients remain at the centre of every innovation.
“Let us move from fragmented diagnosis to integrated diagnostic excellence, from conventional disease classification to molecular precision, and from merely acquiring technology to deploying it sustainably and intelligently for our populations,” he said.
Girei said the health system continued to face inadequate diagnostic infrastructure, shortages of specialist personnel and high equipment costs.
Other challenges included unreliable electricity, limited maintenance capacity, expensive reagents and fragmented referral systems.
