The North-East Development Commission has called for urgent improvement in the region’s healthcare sector.

NEDC managing director Muhammed Alkali made the call on Thursday during an interaction session with the Ministry of Regional Development and members of its board in Abuja.

Mr Alkali said the region, with a population of about 30 million, currently has only one outdated MRI machine. According to him, the NEDC is addressing this gap by providing new MRI machines and creating centres of medical excellence across the region.

According to him, the only available MRI machine is 15 years old and is just as good as non-functional.

Mr Alkali also revealed a comprehensive master plan that would transform the region by 2030, adding that it would be presented at its upcoming retreat.

He said with a projected implementation cost of around $80 billion (over N31 trillion), the plan aims to rebuild the region’s social and economic foundations after years of insurgency.

According to him, the NESDMP, validated by the federal government and supported by various ministries, is designed to be flexible, with ongoing reviews to align with current realities.

The minister of regional development, Abubakar Momoh, urged NEDC to prioritise impactful projects and collaborate with the ministry for effective project execution.

He restated the ministry’s commitment to supporting the NEDC in its mandate to rebuild and transform the insurgency-affected North-East region of Nigeria.

Mr Momoh highlighted the importance of focusing on projects that can be started and completed within a reasonable timeframe. He urged the commission to avoid “overextending” on initiatives that may not be deliverable.

He said the ministry’s role was to assist the NEDC, noting that the commission’s success directly reflects on the ministry and the federal government’s broader development agenda.

(NAN)