The Redeemer’s Health Village (RHV), in collaboration with RoboMed Global and Nisa Premier Hospital, has performed what it described as Nigeria’s first tele-robotic surgery.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the surgery was performed in real time on Saturday from a Toumai console at RHV on a patient at Nisa Premier Hospital, Abuja.

The procedure was a telesurgery-assisted, robot-assisted right radical nephrectomy performed to remove a kidney affected by a cancerous tumour.

Tele-robotic surgery, also known as remote surgery, is a technique that enables a surgeon to perform an operation on a patient from a completely different physical location.

Speaking after the surgery at RHV, Obi Ekwenna-Davis, professor of Urology and Transplantation, who led the surgery, explained the medical condition of the patient.

He said the procedure demonstrated that telesurgery could be safely performed on patients in different parts of Nigeria and the world.

Mr Ekwenna-Davis, co-founder of RoboMed Global, said the development was a significant achievement for RHV and its partners.

“Distance should never decide who receives safe surgery; this is what safe and trusted surgery looks like,” he said.

The US-based surgeon said the patient was in good condition and expected to be discharged within 24 hours.

He said the procedure lasted about three hours, with brief stoppages to ensure that the equipment and systems functioned properly.

Mr Ekwenna-Davis said the collaboration was significant as it marked the first time two hospitals in different parts of Nigeria successfully collaborated to provide surgical care to a patient.

He said the sustainability of the initiative would depend on continuous training, adding that a robotic academy would soon be established to train surgeons and other medical professionals.

According to him, the academy aims to train at least 150 surgeons within the next two years.

Mr Ekwenna-Davis said the programme had the support of the Minister of Health and other government institutions, while calling for additional support from private and non-governmental organisations.

Earlier, Adedamola Dada, chief executive officer of RHV, said the development marked the first telesurgery in West Africa.

Mr Dada said RHV was established to promote innovation and provide world-class healthcare services at affordable costs.

“What has happened today is a demonstration that Nigerians can access modern healthcare without travelling abroad,” he said.

He said the initiative was not primarily profit-driven but aimed at demonstrating what modern healthcare could offer Nigerians, in line with the vision of the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God.

Mr Dada said the achievement had positioned the hospital as a gateway through which specialist skills could be transferred to patients across Nigeria.

He said the introduction of robotic surgery and telesurgery at RHV was aimed at reducing medical tourism and improving access to complex surgical procedures within the country.

The CEO said measures had been put in place to address possible connectivity challenges through the use of reliable networks.

He explained that weather conditions could sometimes affect connectivity, while the quality of equipment and availability of skilled personnel were also critical to the success of telesurgery.

Dada said the hospital was establishing a robotic academy in collaboration with RoboMed Global to train doctors, surgeons, nurses, biomedical engineers and product specialists.

He urged the government to support and sponsor medical professionals interested in acquiring robotic surgery skills.

“My message to government is to support and sponsor Nigerians, the surgeons, the nurses, the biomedical engineers who would want to come and do this training here.

“They can award scholarships to them so that within two to three years, Nigeria will have a lot of professionals who are capable of performing robotic surgery,” he said.

Ibrahim Wada, chief executive officer and founder of Nisa Premier Hospital, said the facility had been a centre for robotic surgery in West Africa since November 2025.

“Today, our patient received specialist surgical expertise from across the country without leaving Abuja. This is what becomes possible when Nigerian institutions decide to build together,” Wada said.

Also, Kunle Onakoya, chairman of the Board of RHV, described the development as historic and urged participants to recognise their roles in creating a milestone for Nigeria.

NAN reports that RHV is a faith-based 300-bed multispecialty hospital established by the Redeemed Christian Church of God.

NAN also reports that journalists watched the procedure live on television at RHV.

(NAN)

Fidson Healthcare Plc has mobilised its staff and volunteers to clean communities in Lagos as part of activities to mark World Cleanup Day 2026.

The exercise, held on Saturday morning, took place around Obanikoro, Fadeyi, Palmgrove and Shomolu axis of Lagos state, with employees of the company and volunteers participating in the cleanup and environmental hygiene advocacy.

The initiative, tagged Project Clean Sweep 2026, was organised by Fidson in partnership with the African Cleanup Initiative (ACI) as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability initiative.

The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) also participated in the exercise, with its advocacy team supporting the organisers.

World Cleanup Day is an annual global movement held on 20 September to tackle waste pollution and promote sustainable resource management.

Fidson links clean environment to health

In her remarks, Adejoke Alli, the Associate Director of Business Operations at Fidson Healthcare, said the company organised the exercise to contribute to a cleaner and healthier environment in its host community.

“The whole idea is to do our part to ensure that we have a greener Lagos and a greener environment, particularly in our host community around Obanikoro, Fadeyi, Shipeolu and Shomolu, where our head office is located,” Ms Alli said.

“We are very passionate about environmental sustainability. Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) is also part of our governance framework, so we are particularly interested in ensuring that we maintain an environment with a less carbon footprint, an environment that is clean and habitable, and one that can promote good health.”

She noted beyond just talking or complaining, the organisation decided to take action so that people can see that “we can all make a difference.”

“This is something that we are very proud of, and we hope we’ll continue to do this for the future,” she added.

Tosin Shoboyede, Human Resources Business Partner at Fidson Healthcare, said environmental cleanliness is part of the company’s commitment to its motto, “We value life.”

Mr Shoboyede said maintaining a clean environment was one way of promoting healthy living.

He described the exercise as part of Fidson’s effort to give back to society and contribute to a cleaner environment.

Organisers call for community action

Alexander Kibe, Founder and President of the ACI, said the organisation had been involved in environmental cleanup activities for 16 years, working across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

Mr Kibe said the group was combining the cleanup with advocacy because cleaning the environment without changing people’s behaviour would not provide a lasting solution.

As part of the exercise, the volunteers also went into the market around the area to clean and engage traders on the need to keep their surroundings clean.

“We cannot leave everything to the government,” Mr Kibe said. “As the African Cleanup Initiative, we are playing our part, and Fidson Healthcare is also playing its part.”

He said residents, traders and passers-by also have a responsibility to keep their surroundings clean.

Mr Kibe said the organisers were engaging members of the communities to encourage them to maintain the environment after the cleanup exercise.

Volunteers urge residents to take responsibility

Munnir Adams, Founder of Climb with Me and a volunteer with the ACI, said improving waste management systems would not be enough without citizens taking responsibility for their surroundings.

Mr Adams said residents should contribute actively to keeping their streets, gutters and areas around their homes clean instead of only complaining about poor waste management.

Rachel Coker, another volunteer with the ACI, said she had participated in the organisation’s activities for more than a year.

Ms Coker said regular environmental sanitation could help reduce exposure to germs and diseases and also contribute to people’s psychological wellbeing.

She said the volunteers were also seeking to set an example for residents and encourage them to make environmental cleanliness a regular habit.