Abstract

Inadequate biomedical engineering (BME) training, the gross deficit in the maintenance of biomedical facilities, mismanagement of resources allocated to the hospital biomedical unit by the management coupled with poor maintenance culture, are some of the factors that can aggravate the already high mortality rate, short life expectancy, poor economic growth, and low quality of life index in Africa, South of Sahara, and in Nigeria in particular. This synopsis serves to review the practice of biomedical engineering in Nigeria and also identify relevant factors that palpably influence BME development in Nigeria. Wide gamut of literature survey was carried out with the view to trace the activities of BME from the origin of BME in Nigeria till date. The result shows that the slow rate of BME development in Nigeria could be traced to relatively low allocation in the National budget on health, mismanagement, ignorance of recent advanced technology with poor or lack of personnel and is found to affect technological development of biomedical engineering. This study would serve as a guide to Nigerian government and other relevant stakeholders as a matter of urgency to declare a state of emergency in the health sector and particularly in the field of BME by collaborating with international professional bodies.

Key words: Biomedical engineering, biomedical development, healthcare operations, low budget allocation, medical treatment.