Federal Teaching Hospitals Criticized For Neglecting Medical Research

The House of Representatives Committee on Health Instituons has called on federal teaching hospitals and medical centers to focus more on medical research instead of waiting for emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic to drive action.

Chairman of the committee, Dr. Patrick Umoh, who made the remarks during the 2026 budget defence session for federal teaching hospitals, medical centres, and university hospitals criticized the institutions for largely abandoning research and taking on the role of general hospitals

The lawmaker also critised Medical Directors, CMD, for
allocating less than 1% of their budgets to research and failing to prioritise funding for it in budget planning

Responding, CMD of Jos University Teaching Hospital and secretary of the CMDs’
committee, Prof. Pokop Wushipba Bupwatda, said budgetary constraints limit research, with the research line often removed during approvals.

He also pointed out staffing challenges, citing a severe shortage of doctors and the difficulties in recruitment despite approvals, while noting that current personnel continue to provide quality services despite these constraints.

Prof. Bupwatda raised other operational concerns, including power supply costs under Band A electricity tariffs and limited budget releases, with only about 30% of the 2025 federal tertiary health budget disbursed.

Oduyemi Odumade, Edited By Grace Namiji