Spurred by the desire to bridge the health gap in Africa, Cassona Global Imaging Ltd in partnership with the United States Government have unveiled state -of -the- art diagnostic equipment to boost healthcare services in Nigeria.

At the Official Launch of its operations held in Abuja on Thursday, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr. John Chigbu said there was no need to fly abroad for healthcare if the gap in diagnostic infrastructure experienced by the country was filled.

Chigbu disclosed that his goal was to bridge the age long gap by providing diagnostic equipment like PET/ CT, Cathlab, CT Scanner, MRI, Linac and others at an affordable cost and a flexible payment plan.

"We sell our equipment at a fraction of the cost. A CT scanner that would normally cost ' million is available for (50,000. Not only do we sell it at an affordable price, we also finance it, allowing you to make a small down payment and pay the rest over 24 months", he said.

Speaking on the need to partner with the government to reduce medical tourism, he said, "we need to reverse this trend. We need medical tourism to come into Nigeria, not the other way around. We need to make quality healthcare accessible to all, not just those who can afford it".

As part of efforts to achieve this, the CEO hinted that Cassona Global Imaging Ltd was planning to build a fully equipped hospital in Nigeria:

"We're not just building hospitals; we're building a healthcare ecosystem. We'll provide training, maintenance, and support to ensure that our equipment is always working. If it breaks down, we'll fix it within 48 hours or provide a loaner," he said.

He further stated that, "we need to build capacity in Nigeria. We need to train our people to take care of our healthcare needs. That's why we're recruiting Nigerian engineers and healthcare professionals to work with us".

On his part, the Commercial Officer from the U.S Department of Commerce in Lagos, Mr Blake Murray who represented the US Mission in Nigeria said Cassona's decision to invest and expand into Nigeria marked a strategic shift in the company's mission from healthcare logistics to bridging the gap in medical imaging and diagnostic capabilities across underserved regions.

Murray informed that, "it also reflects confidence in Nigeria's trajectory towards strengthening healthcare infrastructure and sustainable development". He added that an efficient and resilient healthcare system yield far reaching benefits, improving patient outcomes, reducing costs, expanding access, accelerating emergency response capabilities and advancing disease prevention and control.

"As Nigeria continues to invest in modernizing its healthcare landscape, strategic partnerships with US companies can serve as powerful accelerators.

"Nigerian firms and public institutions collaborating with US, medical suppliers like Cassona have access to Original Equipment Manufacturers, cutting edge technologies, world class standards and critical service and warranty support for new equipment.

On their part, Governor of Abia state, Dr. Alex Otti represented by the state's Commissioner for Health, Prof. Eno Ogbonaya, the Deputy Governor of Katsina State, Faruk Lawal, Representative of Zamfara and Niger State Governors lauded Mr John Chigbu for the initiative and pledged their unalloyed support.