The Royal Philips Electronics (AEX: PHI, NYSE: PHG) with its local partner PPC Limited have announced their commitment to improve diagnostic healthcare facilities in Nigeria by providing a broad range of advanced healthcare technologies in the country, in cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Health.

Philips was selected following a public tender last year to install six state-of-the-art Computed Tomography (CT) scanners, eight Digital Mammography systems and 17 Ultrasound systems throughout the country in 2011.

The first in the series of installations is the Philips Brilliance CT 16-slice scanner which has been installed at the Gombe Federal Medical Centre, one of the largest public hospitals in the country.

The Gombe Medical Centre treats patients coming from all over the state and the installation of the Philips Brilliance CT 16-slice scanner in this institution will provide advanced diagnostic capabilities for patients in their local environment.

It will limit the need for those in need of care to travel out-of-the state or even overseas for advanced diagnostics which is a costly and time consuming option available only to a select few.

Other equipment will be installed in various tertiary hospitals throughout the country in the second half of this year.

“We are very excited to have the new Philips Brilliance CT 16-slice scanner at our facility, as the new technologies will be used to detect and treat diseases with the greatest precision. With this new healthcare equipment, the quality of facilities we can offer in the hospital has improved greatly.

The installation of the Brilliance CT 16-slice scanner will enable the delivery of crisp image clarity that our clinicians need to help make informed decisions possible for a wider range of clinical procedures, explains Professor Aliyu El Nafaty, former Chief Medical Director at the Gombe Federal Medical Centre.

The Federal Ministry of Health is keen to ensure that all Teaching Hospitals in the country introduce the Philips Brilliance CT 16-slice, as the basic minimum standard of technology to meet the growing demands on the delivery of radiological care.

Advanced imaging technologies like CT scanners, Digital Mammography systems and state-of-the-art Ultrasound technology improve the hospital workflow by shortening exam times.