By Sola Ogundipe
When Dr. John Chigbu, Chairman/CEO of Cassona Healthcare Group, speaks about healthcare, his words carry urgency and conviction.
For him, healthcare is not a luxury. It is the foundation of national development, and through Cassona Global Imaging Ltd., he is working to make quality medical equipment accessible and affordable across Africa.
“We came to West Africa for one reason and one reason only. Our goal is simple – to bring healthcare. We want Africans to have access to affordable equipment,” he noted firmly at the launch of Cassona Healthcare Quarterly in Lagos.
According to Chigbu, they had a goal and a mission. “What was that mission? To provide affordable and, I mean that word in the truest sense, medical imaging equipment. I mean equipment that works not occasionally, not sometimes, but every single day.
“Today, I’m happy to announce that we have installed approximately 140 medical diagnostic imaging machines. We have fielded more than 300 service calls, each of which was responded to within 24 hours and resolved.”
In a continent where a CT scanner can cost up to $1,000,000, Chigbu saw an unsustainable system. Cassona’s model disrupts that. “What we provide is equipment you can acquire for $230,000 to $250,000, and we finance it. You pay 20 per cent upfront, and we allow you to finance the rest over 24 months.”
But there’s a twist to the bargain: Cassona takes full responsibility for maintenance. “If the equipment fails, you can’t pay me because you’re not making money. So I make sure the equipment works every single day,” Chigbu noted.
This simple, almost radical model guarantees that doctors can rely on machines that never stop, patients get uninterrupted care, and providers don’t drown in debt.
Chigbu quickly discovered that Africa’s healthcare challenge is not just about equipment, but about capacity. Much of medical education is theoretical, leaving many doctors and radiographers unprepared to use modern machines.
To bridge the gap, Cassona delivers not just machines, but real, practical training that led to Cassona Edge Academy, a first-of-its-kind hub where healthcare workers can update their skills and interact with cutting-edge technology.
“Most doctors starting out cannot afford this equipment. With our centres, they can focus on practicing medicine, and we handle the technology. Beyond that, the company is building diagnostic and radiology ‘experience centers’ where doctors can send patients without needing to purchase expensive equipment themselves.”
Chigbu’s radical trust in doctors sets Cassona apart. “I believe in doctors, they are supposed to be the most responsible professionals, because they heal us. I’m comfortable giving them credit and financing, now, I’m working to convince the banks to see it my way, that doctors deserve trust and financing to acquire life-saving equipment.”
Over 90 percent of equipment sales are on credit—yet not a single provider has defaulted. “If you spend that much time in school to become a doctor, that qualification is collateral enough,” he says with conviction.
Banks may hesitate, but Chigbu insists doctors are among the most responsible professionals. “They heal us. They deserve credit and financing to acquire life-saving equipment.”
Cassona has also entered hospital development. In Ghana, the company built a fully operational hospital in just 12 months—a process that often takes three years elsewhere. With over 140 diagnostic installations in Ghana alone, Cassona has proven its concept before scaling into Nigeria, Africa’s biggest market.
“Our concept is not about selling vanity machines. In Africa, we sometimes buy equipment that looks impressive but isn’t practical. For example, CT scanners come in 16, 32, 64, all the way to 516 slices. A doctor may want to buy a 128-slice scanner, but for what they’re doing, a 16- or 32-slice scanner would serve perfectly.
“So we don’t just sell, we consult, we advise, and we help providers make the right decision, and when we supply, we don’t disappear, we maintain, we support, we stand with you.
“So what do we bring to Africa? Affordability, maintenance and support, training for professionals including financing, so you don’t have to wait years to save, you can get your equipment today.
“We haven’t even made money yet, because we sell on credit. But we believe in the responsibility of Nigerian healthcare providers. You can build all the roads and infrastructure you want, but without health and education, no nation can attract true investment. Our greatest asset is human capital, and you maintain human capital through health.”
At the forum, senior health officials from Lagos and Abia States applauded Cassona Healthcare Group for its innovative role in addressing Nigeria’s medical equipment and diagnostic challenges.
The Special Adviser on Health to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi, said the entry of Cassona into Lagos marks a partnership-driven solution that addresses long-standing gaps in healthcare delivery.
“What Cassona brings are more solutions, equipment, and support, but it’s a partnership, it’s not just a matter of buying equipment. When you buy equipment through them, you don’t have to worry about training, servicing, or spare parts. Their job is to ensure you get the best performance from your equipment and that is commendable.”
She noted that Lagos State’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework under the THEMES Plus Agenda recognizes that government alone cannot shoulder the burden of healthcare delivery. Partnerships with experienced players like Cassona, she stressed, would help ensure that “quality diagnosis leads to quality treatment.”
On his part, Abia State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche, hailed Cassona’s rapid expansion across West Africa, noting that in just three years, the company has equipped over 130 medical centres with advanced radiodiagnostic technology.
“This American-based diagnostic company has extended its presence into West Africa to bridge the gap in radiodiagnostics, and we are proud to identify with them.
Highlighting Abia’s progress under Governor Alex Otti, Uche said the state has equipped 50 primary healthcare centres in the last two weeks, part of a wider healthcare revolution.
He described Cassona as a natural partner for states seeking to scale up universal health coverage.
“We look forward to partnering with organizations like Cassona to drive healthcare delivery in Nigeria, making it more accessible and affordable for all,” he said.
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