News Investigators/ The Bauchi government says it has initiated a N7.8 billion project for the upgrade of the Bauchi Specialist Hospital to enhance healthcare service delivery in the state.
The Commissioner for Health, Sani Mohammed, said this while presenting scorecard of Gov. Bala Mohammed administration in the health sector in the last one year.
He said the project was designed to rehabilitate and equip the facility with modern medical gadgets to meet international standards, adding that the project is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
The commissioner said the state government also embarked on a rehabilitation project of 12 general hospitals and 212 primary health facilities under the second phase of the healthcare infrastructure development programme.
Mr Mohammed said the state government would soon embark on installation of solar systems in 27 general hospitals, the state’s Ministry of Health Headquarters, Primary Healthcare Development Agency and the Hospital Management Board.
To address manpower shortage, Mr Mohammed said the governor has approved recruitment of 10,000 doctors and other cadre of health workers in the state.
He said the Mr Mohammed administration also reviewed and approved 65 years retirement age for lecturers in the state-owned colleges of health, as part of measures to enhance human resource development in the sector.
“The state has reviewed the service year for lecturers in the Aliko Dangote College of Nursing and Sciences, Bauchi, and the Bill/Melinda Gates College of Health Technology, Ningi, by an additional five years.
“Medical and other health students will begin the pre-service scheme, after graduation they will serve their bond.
“The Mr Mohammed administration restored the pre-service scheme, and lifted the employment embargo on health workers to boost human capital development and promote uptake of medicare,” he said.
On drug supply, Mr Mohammed said the administration had invested N250 million in the Bauchi State Agency for Drugs and Medical Consumables, and contributed N800 million counterpart fund for immunisation programme.
While 10,000 heating aid kits were distributed to health facilities in partnership with the Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation.
Mr Mohammed said the state government in collaboration with development partners established medical oxygen plants in Azare, Misau, Ningi, Tafawa Balewa, the Bauchi Specialist Hospital, and the Federal Medical Center (FMC), Azare, to enhance quality services in the state.
“This is to enhance medical oxygen supply to health facilities in Bauchi and neighbouring states.
“The state has commenced Emergency Ambulance Services in the Bauchi Specialist Hospital and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBU-TH).
“The ambulance service is designed to provide free medicare to patients in the first 48 hours,” he said.
However, Dr Hassan Garba, a surgeon, urged the state government to prioritise quality data to aid planning and policy implementation.
He called for deployment of data analysts to public and private health facilities to develop unified statistics for research and development programmes.
“Training of lecturers should also be prioritised, this will further translate into quality services to be provided by the growing human resource coming on board,” Garba said.
In Gombe State, the Gov. Inuwa Yahaya administration has completed the upgrade of Kumo, Kaltungo and Bajoga General Hospitals, to enhance referral and quality service delivery.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Habu Dahiru, said the state government also handed over the revitalised General Hospital, Kumo, to the Federal Government, to fast track its upgrade into a Federal Medical Centre.
He said the facility was currently providing healthcare services to the people, and support the training needs of the Lincoln University, Kumo, Federal University Kashere, and the College of Health Technology, Kaltungo.
Dahiru said the Yahaya administration had constructed warehouses for medical supplies and launched postgraduate programmes at the Gombe Specialist Hospital, focusing on obstetrics and gynaecology, internal medicine, and paediatrics.
“These milestones are proof that Gombe State is not just following the federal government’s vision, but also innovating at the state level to strengthen our healthcare system,” he said.
The commissioner stressed that the Yahaya administration recorded landmark achievements in the health sector, attributing the feat to strategic alignment with the federal government policies of the Bola Tinubu administration.
Dahiru highlighted policies such as the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF), adding that it made positive impacts on vulnerable populations by guaranteeing them access to health insurance.
“The poorest of the poor immensely benefited from the programme,” he said.
On medical migration, Dahiru said the retention policy introduced by the federal government would create an enabling working environment, to motivate and encourage health workers in the country.
“While exit remains an option, bilateral agreements and criteria now govern migration, ensuring mutual benefits for Nigeria and the destination countries.
“Even if a portion of our workforce emigrates, we still have enough trained personnel in the country.
“State governments have been mandated to improve their training institutions, especially for community midwives and nurses, to boost healthcare access at the grassroots,” he said.
He commended the FG’s Primary Healthcare Under One Roof initiative, adding that it would enhance healthcare service delivery in the country.
The programme is being implemented in collaboration between the federal and the 36 state governments, designed to revitalise at least two primary health centres in each of the 774 local government areas in the country.
Dahiru further said the Yahaya administration initiated a biometric system to ensure optimal use of available human resource.
“This system helps us track attendance, productivity, and even the number of deliveries carried out by healthcare workers.
“These innovations have earned Gombe State national recognition, including the ‘Most Innovative State in Healthcare Delivery Award,’ and a $4,000 Leadership Challenge Grant by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), in collaboration with UNICEF.
“The award reflects improvements in immunisation, maternal and child health, nutrition, and overall health indicators,” he said.
NAN
