Army Moves to Reform Healthcare Delivery, Boost Soldiers’ Welfare
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has underscored the need for integrated administrative protocols and stronger inter-agency collaboration to enhance medical services within the Nigerian Army.
Speaking on Tuesday in Abuja while receiving the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Defence Health Maintenance Limited (DHML), Surgeon Rear Admiral Azeeze Bayo Afolayan (Rtd), the Army Chief said efficient healthcare delivery is central to sustaining troop readiness, especially amid ongoing operations across the country.
He noted that as the Nigerian Army continues to engage in complex missions across the six geopolitical zones, maintaining both the physical and mental fitness of personnel remains a strategic priority requiring a responsive and modern healthcare system.
Lieutenant General Shaibu emphasized that personnel welfare should not end with active service, stressing the importance of extending support to retired soldiers. He observed that many veterans face socio-economic challenges after retirement due to limited access to resources, insisting that the institution has a lifelong responsibility to its former personnel.
“The man must survive after service,” he said, advocating for comprehensive safety nets to ensure retirees have access to financial and medical support.
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The COAS also highlighted the value of institutional experience, describing Afolayan as an “insider” whose continued contributions after retirement demonstrate the importance of leveraging expertise within the system.
In his remarks, Surgeon Rear Admiral Afolayan called for the institutionalization of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), particularly within the human resources and administrative components of military medical units. He stressed that efficient healthcare delivery depends on structured processes, standardized documentation, and clear operational guidelines.
According to him, moving away from ad-hoc administrative practices to a policy-driven framework would improve data management and eliminate bureaucratic delays that hinder timely medical care for soldiers and their families.
Afolayan also outlined a strategy to optimize the use of Secondary Care Providers (SCPs), explaining that expanding their role would enable better distribution of medical personnel across units. He said this approach would ensure that troops, especially those deployed in high-risk operational areas, have access to specialist care through a more efficient and cost-effective system.
The engagement highlights ongoing efforts by the Nigerian Army to strengthen its healthcare architecture as part of broader reforms aimed at improving troop welfare and operational effectiveness.
By PRNigeria
