The National Hospital, Abuja (NHA), has leveraged digital medical records to significantly increase its Internal Generated Revenue (IGR), surpassing N400 million monthly, according to its Chief Medical Director, Prof. Mahmoud Raji.
Speaking during the unveiling of the hospital’s 25th-anniversary logo in Abuja on Monday, Prof. Raji highlighted the transformative impact of adopting Electronic Medical Records (EMR).
The system enhances transparency and accountability by eliminating corruption and financial leakages.
“When we started about a year and a half ago, our IGR was roughly between N180 million and N200 million per month. Now, we clock more than N400 million, nearly N500 million per month. That’s just within a span of a couple of months,” Raji disclosed.
The hospital aims to broaden its digitalization efforts, ensuring greater operational efficiency and better healthcare service delivery.
A 25-year journey of excellence
On other successes recorded in the past 25 years, Raji said that though the hospital was initially meant for women and children, it expanded its mandate to involve all other specialities.
He added “For instance, when you’re talking about In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF), it is the first public hospital in Nigeria to start IVF.
“As of today, probably in Sub-Saharan Africa, National Hospital, Abuja, is leading in terms of cancer care.
“We have been training several staff in various fields. We have fabricated Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) for neonates, which is an innovation that wasn’t there before.
“Every year, National Hospital churns out a number of consultants, specialists in medicine and a number of postgraduate nurses in oncology and nephrology.”
- Raji noted that the hospital is facing significant funding challenges and called for support from various stakeholders.
- He urged the Federal Government, private individuals, philanthropists, and both national and international partners to step in, including through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiatives.
- During the unveiling of the hospital’s 25th-anniversary logo, Alhaji Hamza Sakwa, a former Chairman of the hospital’s governing board, highlighted the institution’s remarkable turnaround.
“The glory of the hospital, which was nearly lost, has been restored,” Sakwa said. “Now, the National Hospital is widely praised. I appeal to the Federal Government and all potential supporters to help elevate it to the status of the nation’s premier treatment center.”
More insights
- The National Hospital was founded in 1999 under Act 36 as a 200-bed facility dedicated to women and children, initially named the National Hospital for Women and Children (NHWC).
- Its primary goals included reducing morbidity and mortality rates and conducting extensive research into diseases affecting women and children in Africa.
- In 2000, the hospital’s scope was broadened, and its name was changed to the National Hospital, Abuja, to serve the entire population. By 2011, its supervision was transferred from the Presidency to the Federal Ministry of Health.
