The Kwara State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Amina Ahmed El-Imam, has dismissed criticisms of the state's health sector as "mere political posturing," insisting that the administration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has delivered measurable and visible transformations.

In a comprehensive statement released in Ilorin on Monday, January 26, 2026, Dr. El-Imam addressed recent media commentaries questioning the availability of specialized medical equipment in the state. She countered these claims by revealing that the government has recently procured a state-of-the-art 160-slice CT scan and a modern 1.5 Tesla MRI machine, both of which are slated for immediate inauguration for public use.

The Commissioner highlighted several key upgrades aimed at strengthening the state's diagnostic and emergency capacity, including:

• Advanced Imaging: Procurement and distribution of modern abdominal ultrasound machines to various facilities across the state.
• ICU Development: The completion and full equipping of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Kwara State University Teaching Hospital (KWASUTH).
• Surgical Support: The installation of a C-Arm machine to facilitate complex medical and surgical procedures.

Reflecting on the state of the sector in 2019, Dr. El-Imam noted that a transition assessment revealed inherited infrastructure that was largely "dilapidated, obsolete, or non-functional." She emphasized that the current administration had to overcome poor health indices and a systemic collapse of primary and secondary facilities.

"It is important that discussions around healthcare services are guided by facts and an objective assessment of ongoing reforms," the Commissioner stated, reassuring Kwarans that the government remains focused on sustainable health investments rather than political rhetoric.

"Specifically, the MRI machine previously installed at the Harmony Advanced Diagnostic Centre (HADC) is a low field of 0.35 Tesla, which no longer met current diagnostic standards even then. Such low-Tesla machines are inadequate for modern diagnosis of neurological, oncological, spinal, and complex medico-surgical conditions," she said.

El-Imam said the administration acknowledged that the shortage of health personnel, particularly doctors, is a national and global challenge which has impacted negatively on the sector nationwide.

"Beyond infrastructure and equipment, the administration recognises that healthcare delivery is important and driven by human resources. It is widely acknowledged that the shortage of health personnel, particularly doctors is a national and global challenge, largely driven by the 'Japa' syndrome, a trend that has become more pronounced in recent years. This has resulted in inadequate deployment of the requisite health workforce to many rural and hard-to-reach communities across the country," El-Imam maintained.

On medical and health workers salary structures, the commissioner noted that Kwara State currently pays the revised CONMESS and CONHESS salary structures, in line with what obtains at the federal level, across all cadres of its health workforce.

"In response, massive recruitment of healthcare workers across all cadres medical officers, specialists, nurses, pharmacists, and house officers was conducted while the recently approved recruitment of 150 nurses is ongoing," she said.

"Regarding specialist training, 41 resident doctors are presently undergoing training in various specialties, supported by the state government through the regular payment of the Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF). Notably, Kwara State was the first state in Nigeria to commence payment of the MRTF in 2025, underscoring its leadership in health workforce development."

The commissioner said the Kwara State Government initiated a statewide free medico-surgical outreach programme to deliver specialised healthcare services.

"These services include medical consultations and treatments, provision of free drugs, eye and general surgeries, and the free distribution of eyeglasses to indigent Kwarans and residents of hard-to-reach communities across all 16 local government areas of the state," she said.

"This intervention is designed to complement existing healthcare services while ensuring equitable access to care for all Kwarans. In 2025 alone, 10,374 Kwarans benefitted from the outreach programme.

"This effort is further reinforced by the aggressive enrollment of residents into the KwaraCare (Health Insurance) programme, which continues to expand access to affordable healthcare. reflecting the administration's commitment to universal health coverage."