The massive investment of the Delta State Government in high-end medical equipment is expected to significantly reduce the over N100 billion reportedly spent annually by Deltans on medical services outside the state and overseas.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Joseph Onojaeme, disclosed this on the sidelines of the Delta State Economic and Investment Summit 2026, held at the Events Centre, Asaba.
Onojaeme said the acquisition and deployment of advanced diagnostic equipment by the Governor Sheriff Oborevwori administration had strengthened the state’s capacity to provide specialised healthcare services that previously compelled residents to seek treatment elsewhere.
He specifically cited the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machines recently put into operation at the Asaba Specialist Hospital, Central Hospital, Warri, and the Delta State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara, as major interventions capable of reversing the trend of medical tourism out of the state.
According to him, the investments would not only improve access to sophisticated diagnostic services but also help retain significant financial resources within the state by reducing the number of patients travelling to other parts of the country and abroad.
He said the state’s growing capacity to provide high-end medical services was part of the administration’s broader effort to improve healthcare delivery and enhance key health performance indicators.
“The investment of His Excellency, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, in high-end medical equipment, like the MRI that has just started working at Asaba Specialist Hospital, the one at Central Hospital, Warri, and the one at Delta State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara, will reduce the medical export we are doing in the state,” Onojaeme said.
The commissioner, however, stressed that government could not shoulder the entire burden of healthcare investment alone, urging the private sector to invest in complementary areas of the health system.
“The medical equipment cannot be done by the state government alone. The investment in the medical sector cannot be done by the state government alone. We need the private sector to come into other areas that they need to invest in to help improve the key performance indicators in the state,” he said.
Onojaeme said the impact of the government’s interventions was already evident in the state’s health outcomes, particularly in maternal healthcare.
He disclosed that maternal mortality in Delta had dropped from about 120 deaths per 100,000 live births to below 100 per 100,000 live births.
The commissioner said healthcare performance should not be judged merely by the number of hospitals or other infrastructure provided, but by measurable improvements in the health and survival of citizens.
“In the health sector, it is not about infrastructure. It is not measured by infrastructure; it is measured by some key performance indicators like maternal mortality and under-five mortality rate,” he said.
He said continued investment by government, coupled with greater private-sector participation, would further strengthen the state’s healthcare system, reduce medical tourism and position Delta as a destination for specialised healthcare services.
