Musa Na Allah Sokoto
The National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS) on Friday called on Federal Government to increase investment in Psychiatric Hospitals across the country. This, they said is in view of the vulnerable state and economic challenges of people with mental disorders.
NANS Zonal Coordinator in charge of Zone ‘A’ Mr. Adamu Kichinga, made the call when he led the union’s executives and other members on a facility tour to the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital (FNPH) Kware in Sokoto state as part of its activities after her national conference.
Kichinga, who represented National President, Mr. Sunday Adedayo, said the association conducted the conference after 40 years in Sokoto State University to improve its constitution.
”The reviewed Constitution was signed at the Sokoto State Government House in the presence of Sokoto state governor Aminu Tambuwal,” he said.
He explained that to expand the gathering and allow members to examine developments, members undertake tours on the state and federal government institutions including FNPH Kware.
Kachinga expressed appreciation over the recorded transformations in the hospital under the leadership of Professor Shehu Sale, who has distinguished himself as an astute healthcare administrator and eminent Psychiatrist by excellence.
He presented a meritorious award and installed Prof. Sale as NANS National Ambassador in recognition of Sale’s philanthropic services, student welfare, and overall development of the hospital.
Speaking at the event, former Medical Director of the hospital and a Consultant Psychiatrist, Dr. Abdullahi Ibrahim, said FNPH Kware has witnessed remarkable progress in terms of upgrade of existing facilities, consolidating on skilled manpower developments as well as expansion of services of the hospital to provide integrated healthcare services.
”I am on the ground and witnessed different progress and developments in all aspects of the hospital services all under the leadership of Prof. Shehu Sale.
”The NANS recognition to Prof. Shehu Sale, is merited and justified due to the great transformations recorded in the hospital.
”Sale renovated all the wards, administrative block and the staff quarters in the hospital were upgraded to modern standards including gates, perimeter fence, road networks, street lightings, laboratories, and pharmacy, ” Ibrahim said.
According to him, total beds spaces and staff strength have been doubled during Prof. Sale’s stewardship as well as the restoration of the full accreditation status of the post-basic Psychiatric nursing school in the hospital.
Responding, Sale thanked NANS members for the recognition which would serve as a motivation to ginger his efforts in uplifting services.
He urged management and other staff of the hospital to continue their support towards achieving excellence in hospital service delivery.
He noted that the Federal Government had funded new major projects in its COVID-19 interventions like the molecular laboratory, Intensive Care Unit, and Isolation center.
He further commended the Minister of State for Health, Sen. Olorunnimbe Mamora, for the support towards achieving successes in the hospital.
He listed the projects to include; construction and equipping of intensive care unit, construction and equipping of molecular laboratory, construction and equipping of isolation centre and procurement of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
He said that the completed projects were already impacting positively on service delivery in the hospital.
According to him, the projects would also deliver improved healthcare to the hard-to-reach communities in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to the provision of Essential Healthcare Services.
