African Medical Centre of Excellence (AMCE Abuja) established by Afreximbank, has held its inaugural board meeting in Cairo, Egypt on October 6, 2023. AMCE Abuja, a landmark and visionary initiative by African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), entails the implementation and operationalisation of a 500-bed quaternary level medical facility that will offer a wide range of services and specialisations including oncology, cardiology, haematology, and general care capabilities. The AMCE Abuja will also provide a full range of medical services, including diagnostics, treatment, nuclear medicine, surgery and post-surgical care. It will operate in collaboration with the Kings College Hospital, London, leveraging KCH’s diagnostic, clinical and capacity building expertise to become a world class healthcare institution.
At the inaugural board meeting of the AMCE Abuja, the Board endorsed the appointment of Professor Benedict Oramah, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Afreximbank as its Chairman and appointed Mr. Amr Kamel as his alternate. The appointment of Professor Benedict Oramah reflects his significant contributions to and vision for the project, as well as his exemplary leadership qualities, which have led Afreximbank to remarkable growth. It is expected that under his leadership, the AMCE will successfully accomplish its mission of providing world class medical care, conducting innovative and groundbreaking research, facilitating development initiatives, and offering educational programs in collaboration with esteemed international organizations. Through establishing both international and Pan-African partnerships, AMCE Abuja will ultimately become a prominent global reference and a leading destination for medical tourism in the region.
Other members of the AMCE Abuja Board, include Prof. Ghulam Mufti, Prof Adedayo Onitilo, Dr. Anwar Alhaq, Mr. Emmanuel Assiak, Mr. Brain Deaver, Dr. Zahoor Khan, Dr. Aisha Umar, His Excellency, Arc. Namadi Sambo, Mr. Amr Kamel, Ms. Oluranti Doherty, Mr. Olusola Babalola, and Dr. Gloria Rowland. Speaking after his appointment as Chairman of the AMCE Board, Prof Benedict Oramah, commented: “I am delighted to chair this first meeting of the AMCE Board. This project is of great significance to our continent, with Africans being among the largest importers of medical services globally due to a lack of modern, affordable, and well-equipped medical facilities, technologies and personnel on the continent who especially deal with lifestyle diseases. This facility, with an initial capital investment of nearly USD 300 million, is by far, the single largest private healthcare investment both in Nigeria and on the continent. It will be the first of many facilities being considered across Africa and will serve as the headquarters for AMCE on the continent.”
In addition, the board has approved the proposal of the AMCE executives to organise a medical conference in the first quarter of 2024 in Abuja, Nigeria. This conference will serve as a unique platform for African leaders, researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders to exchange insights, discuss challenges, and explore opportunities in the realms of medical and scientific fields with the goal of increasing awareness and collaboration in the areas of research, innovation, and public health throughout the continent. The conference will align discussions and outcomes with the objectives of the African Union and the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), by supporting the healthcare goals outlined in “Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want.”
Brian Deaver, CEO of AMCE Abuja commented that “The AMCE initiative is a great step forward in addressing the continent’s healthcare needs. Its success will require strong leadership, commitment, and collaboration. The decisions taken at this first board meeting represent an integral step in ensuring that beyond these broad objectives, the AMCE can fulfil its mandate of delivering quality healthcare across Africa, and we are honoured to have Professor Oramah as Chairman of the Board.” A significant focus of the AMCE Abuja is to perform innovative and ground-breaking research, development and educational programs in partnership with leading global institutions such as the KCH, the Christies Manchester and University of Wisconsin, USA, in order to develop additional insights into diseases and treatment trends to improve the quality of care available in Nigeria and the West African region. The facility will also provide first-class medical equipment and infrastructure that include PET CT scans, Cyclotrons that will produce nuclear isotopes, Linear Accelerators for radiotherapy, chemotherapy suites, fully equipped modular theatres, HTR/ HDR machines, among many others which are currently not available in sub-Saharan Africa in order to deliver superior quality of diagnostic and specialty services.
With the initial capital outlay for the first phase of the AMCE Abuja at nearly 300 million US dollars, the facility is by far, the single largest private healthcare investment in Nigeria. This investment is set to rise to 700 million US dollars upon completion of the second phase of the project. The construction of AMCE Abuja commenced in 2022, and it is projected to be completed and commissioned in 2025.
