Musa Na Allah Sokoto
Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire has on Sunday commissioned developmental projects executed by the Governing Board of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH) Sokoto.
In his address, the Minister said the progress achieved has made the institution one of the fastest-growing tertiary hospitals in Nigeria.
“Since 2015 when this present administration came into being, made a point of investing in the health sector through the budgetary provision and special intervention projects.
“In the year 2021, the Federal Executive Council also granted approval for the construction procurement, and installation of a linear accelerator and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines for improving diagnostic and management of Cancer, neurosurgery, and orthopedic cases.
“Ministries of health, labor, and productivity are doing the needful to resolve grievances of health sector professionals with a view to reducing Industrial disharmony, a factor militating against the development of health services.
The Minister called on doctors, nurses, and care providers to bear this in mind and commit to the stated objective of excellence in service delivery to our people.
“The Federal Government is in the process of providing oxygen plants across the nation to improve management in a situation where critically Ill patients require oxygen therapy.
The Chief Medical Director (CMD), Prof Anas Ahmad Sabir said since the institution was built, this is one of the projects to be commissioned marking another milestone in the development of the teaching hospital established 33 years ago.
The projects to be commissioned include the newly established Nuclear Medicine Department, the Brachytherapy Center, Cardiothoracic Center, and the upgraded Intensive Care Unit.
Others are Multipurpose Center, Female Students Hostel, Molecular Laboratory, renovated Trauma Center, Accident and Emergency Department, Incinerator, Olympus Endoscopy Machine, Neurosurgery Equipment, and Digital X-ray Machine among others.
He said the hospital has 900 beds capacity, 242 staff, and 1,326 consultants.
“In 2021, patients numbering 1,9934 were admitted into the hospital while 71,220 patients were seen in the outpatient clinic.
“The hospital offers highly specialized services in many areas including, Radio oncology, Neurosurgery, Urology, Opthalmology, and Open-heart surgery,” the CMD said.
Earlier in his address, Governor Aminu Waziri said the state has 21 general hospitals at least one in each local government area of the state.
The governor who was represented by the State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Ali Inname, said the state is currently building a 1500 beds capacity teaching hospital which is near completion.
He further said the state had come up with a contributory health scheme with a view to making health care affordable to middle-level income earners.
The state is facing a challenge of inadequate manpower to meet up with the current physical development, the challenge has worsened with the current brain drain in the country.
The unstable electricity supply has led to the breakdown of expensive machines coupled with aging amenities, he added.
