SOGHIN seeks upgrade of tertiary health facilities

From Bashir Rabe Mani, Sokoto

The Society for Gastroenterology and Hepatology in Nigeria (SOGHIN) has called for an immediate upgrade of tertiary health funding to modernize infrastructure and expand access to cutting-edge technologies for managing complex Gastrointestinal and Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary conditions in the country.

This was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of SOGHIN’s Joint International Conference and Annual General Meeting held from 12th to 15th August, 2026, at the Abuja Continental Hotel.

The conference was held jointly with the African Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Cancer Consortium, AHPBCC, the African Institute for Liver and Digestive Diseases, AILDD, and the Nigerian Cancer Society (NCS), with support from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (FMoHSW).

According to the communiqué signed by SOGHIN President, Prof. Abdulfatai B. Olokoba and Secretary General, Prof. Abubakar Maiyaki, the 2026 convention marked a historic milestone as a premier joint international collaborative conference aimed at pioneering localized clinical advancements.

The conference resolved that there was an urgent need to upgrade tertiary health infrastructure to enable Nigerian specialists manage complex GI and HPB cases locally.

In appreciation, SOGHIN extended gratitude to the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, and the leadership of AHPBCC led by Prof. Lewis Roberts for co-hosting the historic dialogue.

The Society also acknowledged its core partners: AILDD, NCS, and FMoHSW for seamless collaboration, as well as industrial partners including Mega Lifesciences, Phillips Pharmaceuticals, Getz Pharma, Olympus, Fujifilm and Echosensfor their technical and corporate support.

Special appreciation was also given to the Chief Medical Directors and managements of Nizamiye Hospital, National Hospital Abuja, and Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Abuja for providing their world-class facilities for pre-conference clinical workshops.

SOGHIN is the apex professional body for specialists in diseases of the Gastrointestinal tract, Liver, Pancreas and Biliary tract. Its membership comprises Gastroenterologists, Hepatologists, Surgeons, Pathologists, Paediatricians, Radiologists, Oncologists and other allied health professionals.