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By Muinat Usman
The Department of Anaesthesia at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) has called for increased investment in skilled manpower, professional training and modern equipment to enhance patient safety and improve healthcare delivery.
The Head of the Department, Dr Joshua Oni, made the call in Ilorin during an event to commemorate the 2026 World Anaesthesia Day.
Dr Oni identified inadequate skilled personnel and insufficient equipment as major challenges affecting the delivery of effective anaesthesia services and quality patient care.
Speaking at the event, Professor Benjamin Bolaji explained that anaesthesia services extend beyond putting patients to sleep during surgery to include pain management, intensive care and emergency resuscitation.
Professor Bolaji noted that advances in anaesthetic drugs and monitoring equipment had made surgical procedures and pain management safer.
He highlighted the critical role of anaesthetists in managing critically ill patients and responding to cardiac emergencies, while advocating increased public awareness of basic resuscitation techniques.
In his remarks, the Acting Chief Medical Director of UITH, Professor Bilyaminu Abayomi, assured that the hospital management was committed to upgrading equipment and improving facilities for anaesthesia services.
Professor Abayomi also announced that anaesthesia practitioners would be involved in equipment procurement decisions to ensure that items acquired met clinical requirements and supported safe surgical care.
As part of activities marking the occasion, anaesthesia professionals, including nurses and technicians, staged a rally within the hospital premises to raise awareness of the importance of their services.
The participants carried placards bearing inscriptions such as “Before, During and Beyond Surgery” and “No Anaesthesia, No Surgery.”
Editing: Abdullah Ahmed
