The people of Kwara State will no longer have cause to travel to either Osogbo or Ile-Ife in Osun State for diagnoses as the Advanced Medical Diagnostic Centre being constructed by the state government will be ready for commissioning by December 1, this year.

LEADERSHIP SUNDAY investigations showed that the centre has reached 95 per cent completion level.

When it becomes fully operational, the gigantic health project initiated by the administration of the immediate past governor of the State, Senator Bukola Saraki would carry out over 3, 000 kinds of diagnoses.

The Chief Operation Officer of the centre, Mr. Donnie Aigbe who confirmed this development said that the centre is 95 per cent set for operation.

He expressed delight that the centre which will be commissioned on December 1, this year would bring the state of harmony to limelight and international recognition.

Aigbe said, "as I am talking to you now, everything is virtually set. In fact, we are 95 per cent set and the only reason we are yet to commission it, is because our personnel have to be trained and on ground before the commissioning."

He disclosed that facilities installed at the centre are of high quality and that the centre could compete favourably with any of its kind anywhere in the World.

Aigbe said, the centre is opened to all categories of people just as he advised that people should not wait until they fall ill before knowing their medical status. While advocating proper regular medical check-ups, he lamented that wrong diagnoses had cost many Nigerians their lives.

When completed, he said the diagnostic centre would be first of its kind in the whole of West Africa and African continent, pointing out that a similar one exists in South Africa but not of higher standard.

Aigbe said, "this project is something great that all Kwarans should be proud of. I have travelled wide and I know that what we have here can stand any standard diagnostic centre in other parts of the world.

"And, this diagnostic centre is going to be first of its kind in West Africa and even the whole of African continent. You can only find a kind of comparison in South Africa, but not one that would better what we have here."

He added that, "very soon we are going to make Kwara state Mecca of diagnosis, where people from all over the World will begin to patronise us for our healthcare services."

He urged Kwarans to patronise the medical diagnostic centre, saying there were plans to subsidise the cost for tests, especially for indigenes.

Aigbe disclosed that the state is trying as much as possible to make healthcare services at the centre affordable to all, noting that the centre is also opened to people from other parts of the country and foreign clients.

Reacting to the opinion in some quarters that the centre is not suitably located, the COO disclosed that there was plan by the state government to build a kind of specialist hospital near the centre, to cater for emergency cases and other related medical care.

He disclosed further that maintenance of the state-of-the-art facilities is guaranteed with a five year maintenance contract facilitated by the state government.

He commended the Kwara State government for its commitment towards uplifting the healthcare system in the state.

"For the government to take good care of the health of its citizens, I think it is a noble idea that should be encouraged and emulated by every other state government of the federation", he said.

The state governor, Alhaji AbdulFatah Ahmed had during an exclusive interview with LEADERSHIP in July disclosed that the diagnostic centre had been fully equipped.

He had said, "I am happy to tell you that most of these places including the international diagnostic centre that we have built are fully equipped, and when they are fully ready, they will save us the huge billions of dollars which our people take to go and seek treatment outside the shores of this country".

"The only reason why the diagnostic centre has not been commissioned, is that we want it to be commissioned at the same time with the Central Mosque. The Vice President is waiting to do it, but I don’t want him to come twice: I want both projects to be commissioned at the same time", he added.