Duchess International Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos, has marked its fifth anniversary with a renewed commitment to providing specialist healthcare in Nigeria and reducing the need for patients to travel abroad for treatment.

The celebration, held on October 22, 2026, at the hospital’s main hall in Ikeja GRA, brought together healthcare professionals, government representatives, business leaders and other guests to reflect on the hospital’s growth since it began operations in October 2021.

The event featured speeches by government officials and the hospital’s management, a lecture on cardiovascular disease, and video testimonials from patients who shared their experiences of receiving treatment at the facility.

Among those featured in the testimonials was Nollywood producer Kunle Afolayan, who spoke positively about the hospital’s services. He also expressed surprise at the affordability of its care, recalling his reaction when he first visited the facility. The anniversary came at a time when the Federal Government is seeking to strengthen local healthcare delivery and reduce the number of Nigerians travelling abroad for medical treatment.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, commended the hospital for investing in specialist services and creating opportunities for Nigerian medical professionals living abroad to return home and practise. Salako cited a reported 52 per cent reduction in foreign exchange requests for medical tourism in 2025, saying hospitals such as Duchess could have contributed to the decline. He said the government was working to improve healthcare delivery, expand health insurance coverage and encourage investment in the sector.

“There is no doubt that Duchess International Hospital is a high-standard healthcare facility capable of providing quality care, complex surgeries and advanced medical procedures,” he said.

Five years of specialist care
IN his welcome address, the hospital’s Chief Operating Officer, Dr Olajide Ojo, said Duchess was established with the ambition of demonstrating that advanced medical care could be provided locally. He said the hospital’s anniversary theme, Five Years of Delivering World-Class Healthcare: Transforming Medicine Through Innovation and Excellence, reflected its efforts to expand specialist services and build confidence in Nigeria’s healthcare system.

According to Ojo, the hospital manages an estimated 40,000 outpatient visits annually and has performed 2,053 surgical procedures since its establishment. He said 60 per cent of these were major and complex operations, including spinal, general and vascular surgeries. The hospital launched its open-heart surgery programme in 2023. Ojo said it had since performed 44 open-heart surgeries, comprising 20 procedures on children and 24 on adults. He also highlighted the hospital’s collaboration with Lagos State University through the Doctors Waiting List Initiative, which he said had helped improve access to cardiothoracic surgery for patients facing long waiting periods.

The hospital’s catheterisation laboratory, he added, supports interventional cardiac and radiological procedures. Ojo said these services are part of the hospital’s effort to provide treatment that some patients might otherwise seek abroad. Another milestone highlighted during the celebration was the birth of the hospital’s 500th baby on October 19, 2026. Ojo said the achievement reflected the trust expectant parents had placed in the hospital and the work of its maternity team. He also announced that the hospital had received the Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Award in the Private Tertiary Healthcare Facility category in 2024 and 2025.

Beyond its clinical services, Ojo said the hospital had supported community medical outreach programmes and partnerships with public tertiary hospitals. He said these initiatives had enabled it to reach thousands of people. He thanked the hospital’s clinical and non-clinical staff, describing their work as central to its operations and the care provided to patients.

The hospital’s founder and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Yemi Onabowale, said the institution’s development had benefited from support provided through the Central Bank of Nigeria’s intervention fund. Responding to a question about how the hospital balances specialist healthcare standards with affordability, Onabowale said the support had helped establish the facility and created a responsibility to make its services affordable. He said one of the hospital’s achievements had been encouraging Nigerian medical professionals based abroad to return home and contribute their expertise to the healthcare sector.

Asked whether Duchess planned to expand beyond Lagos “The goal is to reach as many Nigerians as possible and ensure they can access the best healthcare available globally without having to travel abroad for treatment,” he said. He also cited cardiac, reconstructive and orthopaedic surgeries among the procedures performed locally at the hospital.

The anniversary programme included a lecture titled Hunting the Killer, delivered by a cardiologist at Spire Hospital in Cardiff, United Kingdom, Professor Nicholas Ossei-Gerning. He discussed cardiovascular disease and the risk factors associated with heart attacks and strokes, including high blood pressure, diabetes, abnormal cholesterol levels, obesity, smoking, poor diet and physical inactivity.

Ossei-Gerning urged people to check their blood pressure, undergo appropriate diabetes screening and seek medical advice about their cardiovascular risk. He explained that plaque can accumulate in the arteries over time, narrowing them and sometimes blocking blood flow. When a coronary artery becomes blocked, the heart muscle may be deprived of oxygen, leading to a heart attack. He stressed the importance of seeking urgent treatment when a heart attack occurs, explaining that delays can increase damage to the heart muscle. “Minutes mean myocardium,” he said.

The cardiologist also discussed erectile dysfunction, explaining that it can sometimes be associated with underlying vascular disease. He urged men experiencing the condition to seek medical advice rather than dismissing it as a normal part of ageing.

Government seeks local investment
SALAKO said the Federal Government was working to reduce outbound medical tourism through investment in healthcare infrastructure, expanded insurance coverage and efforts to attract skilled professionals back to Nigeria. He said the administration had established additional federal health institutions over the past three years and was strengthening primary healthcare services. The minister also referred to the government’s effort to unlock the healthcare value chain by creating opportunities for investment in medical services, health-related businesses and manufacturing.

He urged Nigerian health professionals living abroad to return home and contribute to the sector. Salako acknowledged, however, that medical tourism could not be eliminated entirely, as patients would continue to have the option of seeking treatment abroad. He said the government’s aim was to reduce the number of Nigerians travelling overseas for healthcare.

Representing the First Lady of Lagos State, Dr Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-olu was the medical director of Ebute Metta General Hospital, Dr Folakemi Irewole Ojo. She commended Duchess for its investment in medical facilities and skilled personnel.

In the remarks delivered on behalf of the First Lady, Ojo said public-private partnerships were important to expanding healthcare capacity and improving service delivery. She encouraged the hospital to maintain high professional standards, prioritise patient safety and continue improving the quality of care. She also highlighted the importance of preventive healthcare, regular medical check-ups, maternal and child health services, and early detection of illnesses. Ojo said patients should be treated with dignity, empathy and respect, regardless of their circumstances.

Looking ahead
AS Duchess marked its fifth anniversary, its management presented the occasion as an opportunity to recognise its progress and set out its ambitions for the years ahead. Onabowale said the hospital hoped to expand its reach beyond Lagos, although no timeline or proposed locations were announced at the event. The hospital’s stated ambition is to make specialist healthcare more accessible within Nigeria. Its management said it would continue to invest in clinical services, advanced technology and partnerships with other healthcare institutions. Five years after its establishment, Duchess has highlighted its surgical procedures, cardiac services, maternity care and patient experiences as evidence of its development.

Other notable guests at the anniversary included former Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed; former Nestlé managing director, Chief Olusegun Osunkeye; Marriott’s Chief Operating Officer, Chike Ogea; Leadway Holdings Chairman, Oye Odukale; Bank of Industry Managing Director, Olasupo Olusi; and Dr Sesan Onabowale, Olori Ebi of the Onabowale family. Dr Akinwande Fadepe delivered the welcome address.