The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has stressed that optimizing medical services in the Nigerian Army depends on integrating standardized administrative protocols and strengthening inter-agency collaboration.
He made this known on Tuesday, 7 April 2026, while receiving the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Defence Health Maintenance Limited (DHML), Surgeon Rear Admiral Azeeze Bayo Afolayan (Rtd), during a courtesy visit to Army Headquarters, Abuja.
Speaking during the meeting, General Shaibu said that as the Army conducts complex operations across the six geopolitical zones, maintaining the physical and mental readiness of personnel remains a strategic priority requiring a responsive and modern healthcare system. He added that troops’ welfare must extend beyond active service to include sustained support for veterans.
The COAS noted that retirement often exposes personnel to socio-economic challenges due to limited access to resources, emphasizing that soldiers must be supported to live with dignity after service. He reaffirmed the Army’s lifelong commitment to its retirees, advocating a robust safety net to ensure access to financial and medical support, while describing the DHML boss as an “insider” whose continued service highlights the value of institutional experience.
In his remarks, Surgeon Rear Admiral Afolayan (Rtd) called for the institutionalization of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), particularly within human resources and administrative units of military medical services. He said standardized processes and clear operational guidelines are essential for efficient healthcare delivery, replacing ad-hoc systems with a more structured, policy-driven approach.
Afolayan also outlined a framework for maximizing Secondary Care Providers (SCPs), explaining that expanding their use would enable better distribution of medical personnel across formations. He noted that leveraging well-equipped SCPs would enhance access to specialist care for troops, especially those in operational theatres, through a more efficient and cost-effective system.
