Sixty million poor Nigerians are expected to get free medical services within the next two years, the federal government has promised.

The Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, who gave the hint in Ekiti State when he visited the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti,  said 10, 000 additional health facilities will be built in the 774 local governments in the country to make access to good healthcare possible.

The minister expressed worry over incessant strikes and leadership tussles in federal health institutions, lamenting that these were affecting healthcare delivery in the country.

“It is unfortunate that our national hospitals are better known for strikes rather than services,” Adewole stated.

He commended the Chief Medical Director, of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti, Majekodunmi Ayodele, for  his work in the hospital, adding that “what is symbolic about today is that we are commissioning 12 projects through the partnership and Memorandum of understanding this hospital signed with Afe Babalola University.”

He also thanked prominent lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Afe Babalola for his investments in the education and health sectors.

The hospital’s CMD assured workers that all their dues will soon be paid but appealed to the minister to grant the requests for take-off grants to the facility.

The Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose, who was represented the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Kola Oluwawole, asked the federal government to pay attention to staff welfare.

The minister assured that government would not neglect health workers’ welfare, adding that they should not take strike actions as the only way of pressing home their demands to government.