Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Ebute Metta in Lagos State, has celebrated zero internal industrial actions in eight years, achieving SafeCare Level Four accreditation, and transforming into a 450-bed, tech-driven tertiary healthcare model under outgoing Medical Director, Dr. Adedamola Dada.
A media parley was organised to highlight some of the hospital’s achievements and challenges.
Dada bows out after two transformative terms, his tenure marked by innovation, discipline, and fairness.
“This is not a miracle,” he said. “It’s about planning, teamwork, and a commitment to do the right thing.”
His leadership was tested early during COVID-19 and #EndSARS protests. While many hospitals closed their doors or scaled back operations, FMC at Ebute Metta became a frontline institution, treating staff and public alike at the height of the crisis. “We opened a COVID centre because our staff was getting infected,” he recalled. “In no time, our institution became a very popular COVID centre.”
The hospital was the only one in Lagos producing oxygen independently, giving it out freely as demand soared. Amid lockdowns and roadblocks, its team camped on site, with Dada sleeping in his office.
From 72 beds in 2016, FMC has 450 beds, 12 theatres (up from two), and over 80 consultants in 18 departments.
It also runs a 16-bed intensive care unit (ICU) and a cancer centre described by Dr. Dada as “potentially the best in West Africa.”
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The hospital’s digital transformation is equally striking. FMC Ebute Metta is the first public hospital in Lagos, and arguably in Nigeria’s federal system, to go fully paperless in clinical and financial operations. Patients use ATM-style cards for payments and medical records, while remittance agents manage transactions, ensuring full accountability through the Treasury Single Account (TSA).
A key pillar of Dr. Dada’s reform strategy was human resource development. Staff underwent job-specific training in areas such as handling aggressive patients, breaking bad news sensitively, and managing deceased patients with dignity.
To combat brain drain, popularly known as the japa syndrome, FMC recruited retired consultants and nurses to stabilize service delivery. “Every department now has retired professionals who form a solid base,” Dr. Dada explained.
This strategic balance between young professionals and seasoned retirees helped preserve institutional knowledge and maintain service quality. The result? No internal strike throughout his tenure.
Under his watch, FMC Ebute Metta partnered with international body SafeCare, becoming the first federal hospital in Nigeria to achieve SafeCare Level Four status. Every hospital bed now has oxygen and is linked to a central monitoring system for real-time vital sign tracking.
Dr. Dada emphasized that quality was not only about clinical care, but also about structure and sustainability. “Even our architecture follows safety principles. Floors are leveled to prevent falls. Equipment is tracked and maintained. If you don’t document it, SafeCare counts it as not done,” he said.
To keep the hospital running 24 hours without energy interruption, Dada revealed the hospital had been paying N20 million monthly for just three-hour daily public power supply.
According to him, this extraordinary expense has led to the consumption of 80,000 litres of diesel on a monthly basis to ensure uninterrupted supply of power in the facility and maintain critical health care services.
Despite limited government funding, the hospital expanded and automated without private partnerships. “It’s not about having all the money, it’s about managing what you have well,” he said.
The Ministry of Budget and National Planning commended the hospital’s efficient use of public funds, with former Minister Clem Agba describing its fiscal discipline as a model for others.
FMC Ebute Metta has also mentored over 50 hospitals across Nigeria, federal, state, and military, on digital transformation and quality care. It now serves as a training centre for the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and features in a Lagos Business School case study used in its Health Management Programme.
Asked what he considers his greatest achievement, Dr. Dada replied: “The fact that we’ve exported some of our best practices to other hospitals free of charge. We offer training, no fees, just a requirement to meet our standards.”
He attributes the hospital’s success to collective effort, not solo leadership. “It’s never been a one-man riot squad. The staff bought into the vision.”
As he steps down, Dr. Dada plans to pursue a master’s degree outside medicine, but not before his usual hospital walk, visiting wards, generator houses, laundry, and even mortuary. “That’s how I audit, not to punish, but to improve,” he said.
FMC Ebute Metta today sees 25,000 to 30,000 patients monthly, including 5,000 new registrations. The cancer centre awaits commissioning, and high demand continues to push the hospital to expand vertically, given space limitations.
Dr. Dada leaves behind a transformed institution and a national benchmark. “If we can do it here,” he said, “it can be replicated across Nigeria.”
For many in Nigeria’s strained health system, FMC Ebute Metta is no longer just a federal facility, it’s a model of what is possible.
