The House of Representatives Committee on Health Institutions has criticised Chief Medical Directors (CMDs) of federal teaching hospitals and medical centres, stating that traditional medicine practitioners are conducting more meaningful research than Nigeria’s teaching hospitals.
The committee’s Chairman, Patrick Umoh, made the remarks on Tuesday during a budget defence session in Abuja, where CMDs of federal university teaching hospitals and federal medical centres appeared before the panel to defend their 2026 budget proposals.
Research Funding Under Fire
Umoh expressed dissatisfaction with what he described as the poor commitment to medical research in Nigeria’s tertiary health institutions. He noted that several hospitals allocated less than one per cent of their total budgets to research, a figure he said was unacceptable for institutions expected to drive innovation, training, and evidence-based healthcare delivery.
“It is alarming that traditional medicine practitioners are doing more research than our teaching hospitals,” Umoh said. “These institutions are supposed to be centres of excellence, yet research—which is the backbone of modern medicine—is clearly being neglected.”
Concerns Over Teaching Hospitals’ Mandate
The lawmaker reminded the CMDs that teaching hospitals were established not only to provide healthcare services, but also to train medical professionals and advance medical research. He warned that continued underinvestment in research would weaken Nigeria’s healthcare system, reduce global competitiveness, and limit the country’s ability to respond effectively to emerging health challenges.
Members of the committee also questioned the absence of structured research outputs, grants, and innovations commensurate with the size and funding of the institutions.
Call for Strategic Reforms
The committee urged hospital managements to reprioritise research funding, explore partnerships with academic institutions and the private sector, and develop sustainable research frameworks that can attract local and international grants.
Lawmakers stressed that increased investment in research would improve clinical outcomes, enhance medical training, and reduce reliance on foreign data and solutions.
Oversight Continues
The House Committee on Health Institutions reaffirmed its commitment to strict oversight of budgetary allocations and implementation, insisting that public funds must be directed towards initiatives that deliver long-term value to Nigeria’s healthcare system.
The CMDs are expected to review their budget proposals in line with the committee’s observations ahead of further legislative consideration of the 2026 appropriation bill.
