Odita Sunday 
Defence Ministry Moves To Strengthen Military Healthcare, Says No Soldier Must Be Left Behind
Amid rising security operations and growing concerns over the welfare of troops and veterans, the Federal Ministry of Defence has declared that military healthcare support is now more critical than ever, urging the Defence Health Maintenance Limited (DHML) to scale up its services nationwide.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Richard Pheelangwah, made the declaration during a familiarisation visit to the headquarters of DHML in Abuja, where he described the organisation as a strategic pillar of national defence.
According to him, no serving personnel, officer or retired veteran should be denied quality healthcare at a time when military operations and evolving threats are placing heavy physical and psychological burdens on security personnel.
He noted that the current security climate, characterised by asymmetric warfare, counter-insurgency campaigns and prolonged deployments, has created unprecedented healthcare demands within the Armed Forces.
Pheelangwah said the increasing number of veterans and retirees also requires a more responsive and sustainable health system that preserves dignity and rewards years of national service.
“DHML is more needed today than ever before. No soldier, no officer, and no veteran must be left behind when it comes to healthcare,” he said.
The Permanent Secretary explained that the visit was aimed at reviewing the agency’s operations, assessing its achievements and challenges, while reinforcing the Ministry’s commitment to the welfare of military personnel and their families.
He commended DHML for its performance since its establishment in 2005, describing it as a specialised health maintenance organisation that has maintained strong standards in healthcare delivery.
Pheelangwah disclosed that the agency currently provides healthcare coverage for over 110,000 veterans and their dependants through a wide network of military and civilian healthcare providers, while also meeting regulatory standards set by the National Health Insurance Authority.
He, however, acknowledged several operational challenges confronting the organisation, including delays in payments to healthcare providers, poor access to specialised tertiary care and logistical difficulties.
To address the issues, he proposed stronger partnerships with tertiary hospitals, improved telemedicine services for personnel in remote and conflict-prone locations, and better logistics coordination with military medical corps for faster emergency response.
He assured DHML of the Ministry’s policy and administrative backing to enable it perform optimally.
Earlier, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of DHML, Surg. Rear Admiral A.B. Afolayan (retd.), said the organisation currently operates across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, offering beneficiaries free access to healthcare services.
He added that DHML works with over 135 healthcare providers across primary, secondary and tertiary levels nationwide.
Afolayan identified irregular release of premiums, lack of harmonised personnel data and poor awareness of DHML services among veterans as major constraints affecting operations.
The event was attended by top officials and management staff of the Ministry of Defence and DHML.
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