By Dickson Omobola

United States-based architectural designer, Olufemi Faminigba, has said environmental design plays a big role in disease prevention within hospitals, noting that many hospitals became hotspots for viral transmission due to outdated ventilation systems, poor illumination and cramped spaces during COVID-19.

Faminigba said Indoor Environmental Quality, IEQ, can transform hospital design to safeguard public health and strengthen economic resilience, arguing that this is necessary in light of the COVID-19 pandemic that exposed flaws in healthcare infrastructure globally.

He, however, urged Nigerian policymakers, healthcare leaders and architects to make environmental quality a national priority.

The Master of Architecture graduate from the University of Cincinnati and alumnus of the University of Lagos, in a chat with Vanguard, said the pandemic became a wake-up call for healthcare systems.

He said: “My exploration has always focused on understanding and quantifying the role of environmental design in disease prevention within hospitals. Modest interventions, such as antimicrobial surfaces, improved ventilation, and the use of natural daylight, can significantly reduce infections in hospitals. It is to this end that I have pushed forward advanced IEQ models tailored for resource-constrained settings, integrating airflow control, humidity regulation and the use of non-toxic building materials.

“We understand that simple, evidence-based changes can drastically reduce the persistence and spread of airborne pathogens, including viruses and antibiotic-resistant bacteria.”

According to the Lagos-born designer, architecture must be seen as a first line of defense in pandemic preparedness.

He said: “Every infection prevented translates to fewer hospital stays, lower healthcare costs, and ultimately, lives saved. Economically, the burden of poor IEQ is immense. Hospital-acquired infections and staff illnesses drive up costs, while public mistrust of medical spaces discourages timely care. By contrast, investing in IEQ-centered design yields healthier staff, fewer infections and lower readmission rates. These benefits ripple across society and ease national healthcare expenditure.

“Hospitals should not only be centres of healing but spaces where the risk of infection is minimised by design. The investment we make in Indoor Environmental Quality today is an investment in public health, pandemic preparedness and the economic resilience of our nation tomorrow.”

Faminigba’s argument stems from his professional experience spanning Micdee in Lagos, Primestack Motivo, and, most recently, Luminaut in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he contributed to streamlining design workflows and ensuring project efficiency.