The National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos (NOHIL) has mulled collaboration with foot and ankle specialists from the United Kingdom, the United States, Türkiye, Pakistan and Nigeria to strengthen orthopaedic care and surgical capacity in the country.

The hospital said the week-long training programme, organised in partnership with Steps2Walk and the Global Health Charity and Training Foundation (GHCTF), will also feature a free medical outreach expected to benefit more than 1,000 Lagos residents.

NOHIL said the initiative is part of its efforts to promote sustainable orthopaedic education through international collaboration and continuous capacity building for surgeons.

According to the hospital, the programme is designed to enhance the capacity of orthopaedic surgeons through advanced training, practical surgical demonstrations, knowledge sharing and humanitarian medical outreach. It added that participants will receive mentorship from internationally recognised foot and ankle surgeons while contributing to improved access to specialised care for patients with complex conditions.

The hospital explained that the programme will feature lectures and a medical outreach at its Pavilion Hall. Other activities include patient selection, case discussions and lectures at the hospital, alongside a community medical outreach at General Hospital, Somolu.

NOHIL disclosed that members of the public attending the outreach will receive free medical screening services, including blood pressure and cholesterol checks, diabetes and malaria tests, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening and colorectal cancer screening, with referrals to appropriate health facilities where necessary.

It added that live surgeries will be conducted at the hospital, providing participants with the opportunity to observe and learn from complex foot and ankle procedures performed by both international and Nigerian faculty.

According to the management, the programme will conclude with post-operative patient reviews, hands-on cadaveric dissections and interactive case discussions. The hospital noted that the free medical outreach reflects GHCTF’s commitment to expanding access to quality healthcare while aligning with NOHIL’s goal of advancing specialist healthcare, strengthening professional training and improving patient outcomes.