By Pius Awunah
The Head of the Oncology Department of the Federal Medical Centre(FMC) Jabi,Abuja, Dr.Oiza Ahmadu has maintained that the centre is well equipped,fully functional and is properly manned by professionals to manage cancer patients.
Speaking against the backdrop of a viral video by a patient,alleging poor conditions and inadequate facilities at the Oncology Department of the hospital, Dr.Ahmadu said that the patient was economical with the truth as the Oncology Department was one of the best in the country.
The Head of Department(HoD), who gave the rebuttal via a statement on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, said the facility was a 12-bedded ward dedicated to oncology.
She described the viral video’s depiction of it as “a small hall in the backyard” as inaccurate.
According to Ahmadu, the hospital had undergone a significant transformation from originally,a staff clinic that had been upgraded to a tertiary healthcare institution in 2012 to meet the expanding needs of the Federal Capital Territory(FCT).
She said the area shown in the video by the patient was the outpatient clinic,noting that although space constraints existed, the facility met established standards and had served patients efficiently for four years.
Ahmadu disclosed that FMC ,Abuja had consultants’ offices in a newly constructed clinical building and a dedicated oncology pharmacy, one of the few operating independently in the region.
She outlined the department’s components, including an outpatient clinic, a palliative care unit nearing completion, a navigation office, and designated areas for psychological support.
“For your reference, the consultation fee at our oncology clinic is N2,000, while the admission fee for a four-bedded room is N10,000 per day,” she added.
Ahmadu reaffirmed the centre’s commitment to continuously improving its services and ensuring better care for patients.
It would be recalled that the unamed patient who is currently receiving treatment at the centre,in the viral video, recounted her challenges to ccess care amid the ongoing doctors’ strike (which had been suspended).
Though,she praised the medical team but lamented their difficult working conditions and inadequate welfare.
She noted that health workers continued providing care “in that ill-equipped facility” while dealing with irregular or insufficient pay.
She added that patients were often forced to wait in corridors, sometimes exposed to rain while awaiting consultations.
The patient further claimed that the Oncology Department was cramped, saying, “The entire Oncology Department is the size of a gateman’s room, and that office accommodates at least seven or eight people.”
She also alleged that, until recently, there was no designated chemotherapy ward, requiring porters to search for empty beds before treatment sessions.
She appealed to the government to improve health workers’ welfare, address salary arrears, and upgrade oncology infrastructure at the hospital.
