From Mustapha Saye, Kaduna
In addition to the ongoing upgrade of the nine general hospitals across the three zones of the State, Governor Uba Sani has vowed to break the jinx and complete and inaugurate the 300-bed Specialist Hospital with an oncology unit to research, diagnose and treat cancer at Millennium City, Kaduna before the end of 2024.
The 300-bed ultra-modern Hospital project, which had $148million support from the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), was initiated by the former Vice President, Namadi Sambo, while he was in office as the Governor of Kaduna state as part of efforts to provide a comprehensive health facility to the teeming population of the state.
However, successive administrations of Patrick Yakowa, Mukhtar Ramadan Yero and Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai made efforts but failed to complete the project.
Speaking through the Commissioner of Health, Hajia Umma K. Ahmed at a press conference highlighting the administration’s strides in the area of healthcare delivery, Governor Sani said,
“In the last quarter of 2024, we shall be inviting you to attend the August occasion to commission the facility that boosts state-of-the-art medical equipment aiming to transform and reform the State health care delivery while also reducing medical tourism, as the 300-bed hospital has an oncology unit for the research, diagnosis and treatment of cancers.”
The Governor said his and the ministration’s investment in infrastructure cut across the spectrum of health, including the primary, secondary and tertiary facilities in the state, saying that the government is upgrading nine secondary facilities, three each in the senatorial districts.
“The hospitals are GH Maigana with 72% completion, GH Rigasa with 69% completion, GH Gwantu with 65% Completion, GH Ikara with 47% completion, Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa Memorial Hospital Kafanchan with 43% completion, General Hospital Giwa with 45% completion.
“The newly awarded hospital of Dabo Lere Memorial Hospital, Lere, GH Sabon Tasha and RH Kachia were handed over to the Contractors who are currently mobilizing to commence work. These facilities are currently at various stages of extensive reconstruction, re-modelling, and equipping as part of our Government’s initiative to improve healthcare infrastructure.
“Additionally, the State is upgrading 30 high-volume healthcare facilities into “centres of excellence,” ensuring that residents, particularly in rural areas, have access to modern healthcare services,” he said.
The Governor added that the infrastructural efforts were being made to ensure every level of care is transformed to provide the best care for the people of Kaduna State.
The Commissioner said that as part of efforts to improve service delivery, Governor Sani has approved the distribution of modern medical equipment worth over 3 billion naira to 290 upgraded PHCs, significantly enhancing their capacity to provide quality healthcare services.
While noting that, the State’s intervention in nutrition is designed to ensure that malnutrition is treated and prevented by ensuring children receive adequate nutrients for sustained growth and development even after recovery, Hajia Ahmed said “Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) plays a crucial role in addressing malnutrition, particularly in children suffering from severe acute malnutrition. His Excellency, the Governor has just directed the distribution of 31,000 cartoons which is equivalent to 4,650,000 doses of RUTF.”
She emphasized that “Since taking office on 29th May 2023, Governor Uba Sani has shown an unwavering commitment to revolutionizing healthcare delivery, driven by his SUSTAIN manifesto, which emphasizes the critical importance of investing in human capital development.
“Governor Uba Sani’s ambitious vision for the health sector aims to achieve Universal Health Coverage and promote healthy lives for all residents of Kaduna State. This vision is structured around five strategic objectives: enhancing health infrastructure, improving service delivery, strengthening human resources for health, ensuring the availability of essential medicines, and increasing sustainable health financing.
“These are not just goals; they represent a transformative agenda designed to significantly improve the health outcomes of our citizens. The 2024 budget allocates N71.65 billion (15.6% of the state budget) to health, marking a significant investment in the sector. This made the health sector the 4th in ranking among other sectors in the State,” she said.
The Commissioner also disclosed that the Uba Sani’s government has equally reviewed the agreement with Fly Zipline International Nigeria Limited to deliver essential drugs and ANC vaccines to hard-to-reach communities of Kaduna State.
“Under Governor Senator Uba Sani’s guidance, the Service Level Agreement with Fly Zipline International Nigeria Limited has been reviewed to enhance the delivery of medicines, vaccines, blood products and other health supplies to hard-to-reach locations. Aerial drone delivery offers a just-in-time logistics solution, ensuring that essential medical supplies are available to remote health facilities across the State,” she said.
