DASH CMD Attends Major West African Health Expo to Boost Diagnostic Capacity

Timescope News 

The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital (DASH) Akwanga, Dr. Esala E. Abene, has joined health professionals from other West African countries at the Medic West Africa  Exhibition also known as the World Health Expo 2026   currently taking place in Lagos.

The exhibition brings together international manufacturers, medical technology firms, and healthcare institutions from across Africa. Its primary aim is to align a trinity system limited's commitment to strengthening healthcare delivery and fostering strategic partnerships within Nigeria and the broader African medical sector.

Declaring the event open, President Bola Tinubu, represented by the Honourable Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Isiaq Adekule Salako, emphasized that the Lagos exhibition organized under the stewardship of Informa Markets has evolved from a visionary showcase into a vital catalyst for West Africa’s healthcare transformation. He noted that the event is directly shaping national policy and helping bridge the continent’s critical diagnostic gaps.

Dr. Salako revealed that between 85% and 99% of medical equipment and in-vitro diagnostics in West Africa are currently imported. In response, he outlined aggressive federal interventions designed to dismantle supply chain vulnerabilities and skyrocket local manufacturing capabilities.

He also highlighted an extensive health infrastructure upgrade program in partnership with the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority. This phased initiative is actively delivering oncology and nuclear medicine centers across six tertiary hospitals, alongside establishing 22 modern medical diagnostic centers, seven cardiac catheterization laboratories, and expanded radiology and clinical pathology capabilities distributed across the six geopolitical zones. According to the minister, Nigeria’s healthcare sector is forecast to grow by 7.1%, reaching a market value of $1.16 billion by 2027.

As part of his invitation to the exhibition, Dr. Abene will engage directly with international manufacturing partners, explore cutting-edge medical technology and innovations, and discuss potential collaborations to upgrade diagnostic and treatment capacity at DASH Akwanga. 

By gaining insight into emerging trends shaping healthcare delivery in West Africa, the CMD’s participation underscores a renewed commitment to positioning Nasarawa State’s flagship specialist hospital as a regional model for quality, technology-driven care. With federal backing and cross-border cooperation, Medic West Africa 2026 may well mark a turning point not just in policy, but in tangible outcomes for patients across the continent.