The first and oldest hospital in Nigeria, the Sacred Heart Hospital, is located in Abeokuta, Ogun State. It was established by the Society of African Missions of the Catholic Church in 1895.
The first and oldest hospital in Nigeria was established due to the leprosy epidemic that ravaged Egbaland between 1857 and 1859. Before its establishment, explorers and traders were the only people in Nigeria with access to medical care because they came with their doctors for personal service.
To spread the gospel, the Roman Catholic Mission, through Reverend Father Coquard, established the Sacred Heart Hospital and opened it to the public to attend to medical ailments and diseases.
While the hospital was initially located at Itesi, Abeokuta, in 1971, Archbishop Aggey relocated the hospital to Lantoro. The historic hospital continues to operate as a 300-bed facility thanks to an expansion and several notable developments.
It is also a reputable healthcare professional training facility. It has a nursing school in Lantoro, Abeokuta. And also well-known for its outreach programs, which provide primary healthcare to the population.
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