RAJAB 9 1430 A.H.
WEDNESDAY JULY, 1 2009
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Dala Orthopaedic Hospital, others for upgrading -FG
By ALIYU YUSUF & RABI A. BATURE
In its effort to boost health care delivery system, the federal government has identified seven hospitals in the country for total upgrading, minister of state for health, Dr. Aliyu Idi Hong has disclosed.
The minister made the disclosure during the official commissioning ceremony of a new Accident & Emergency Complex, named after Alhaji Aminu Alasan Dantata and other projects at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Dala, Kano, yesterday.
Among the hospitals to be upgraded according to the minister, is the National Orthopaedic Hospital , Dala which he said if upgraded, will ensure that no Nigerian may wish to cross the border of the country in search of any orthopaedic services.
He stressed that considering the importance of health in human life, the issue of health care is placed on the concurrent list of the country’s constitution, hence the involvement of all the three tiers of government in the development and sustenance of the health sector.
He further explained that the administration of President Umaru Musa Yar’adua has done a lot in the health care delivery system and will continue to provide state-of-the-art medical facilities to meet international standard.
Dr. Hong then assured the willingness of the federal government to partner with states and local governments to improve the health sector in the country.
While acknowledging the contributions of Kano state government in the health sector of the state which earned the state commendation of the health ministers in Africa on polio eradication programme, he also commended Alhaji Aminu Dantata for the building of 28-bed amenity ward as an extension of the Accident & Emergency Ward of the hospital, calling on other well-to-do individuals to emulate that good gesture.
The minister who expressed the need of the 19 Northern state governors to support the federal government in maintaining the hospital, which serves the needs of those states including Abuja, announced the federal government’s extention on the appointment of the Medical Director of the Dala Orthopaedic Hospital to serve for the second term.
In his remark at the occasion, the state governor, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau said that Kano state government is prepared to partner with the Dala Orthopaedic Hospital with a view to bringing the state- of-the- art expertise in the area orthopaedics to Kano, disclosing that his administration had some few weeks back facilitated the visit of German team of experts to inspect facilities in the hospital for a partnership.
While describing the hospital as a great medical citadel in the Northern part of the country that has recorded successes in the area of orthopaedic and other associated problems, he commended Alhaji Aminu Dantata for the kind gesture he extended to the hospital, noting that the gesture will assist in checking the problems of bed space for patients there.
Reading his welcome address earlier, the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Kabir Abubakar disclosed that the Dala Orthopaedic hospital which was established 50 years ago, by the then Premier of Northern region, late Sir, Ahmadu Bello Sardauna of Sokoto was aimed at providing orthopaedic services to the Northern states.
He pointed out that the need for expansion in the hospital’s man power and development became necessary to complement the ever increasing needs of its services, lamenting that the number for accidents is increasing day by day, hence the need for the extention of the Accident & Emergency Ward.
He commended Alhaji Aminu Dantata for building the 28-bed amenity ward as an extention of the A&E ward and the state government for its untiring support to the hospital.
Meanwhile, about N60 million worth of internal road networks have been completed at Muratala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, Kano.
Speaking in an interview with Daily Triumph at the commissioning ceremony of the road networks, the Director General, Hospitals Management Board, Dr. Ibrahim Adamu Yakasai said the roads were constructed using internally generated revenue, adding that the roads cover the length and breadth of the hospital.
According to him, the next hospital that would be attended to, is Sir, Muhammad Sanusi Hospital, saying if their internally generated revenue is buoyant, the project will equally be executed.
