…allocates 15.6 percent of budget
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State resolve and commitment to the health sector has received commendation with the allocation of 71.65 billion Naira (15.6 percent) of the 2024 budget, the highest the state has ever had since 1999.
Giving the commendation on the achievements of governor Sani in health sector, the state Commissioner for Health, Umma K. Ahmed, said since May, 2023, Governor Uba Sani has shown an unwavering commitment to revolutionizing healthcare delivery, driven by his “SUSTAIN” manifesto, which emphasizes critical importance of investing in human capital development.
According to the commissioner, “The Governor’s ambitious vision for the health sector aims to achieve Universal Health Coverage and promote healthy lives for all residents of the 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 71.65 billion Naira (15.6% of the state budget) to health, marks a significant investment in the sector. This made the health sector the 4th in ranking among other sectors in the State,”.
Ahmed stressed that the Infrastructural development of the health sector by the governor is an ambitious program initiated to complete and inaugurate the 300-bed specialist hospital at millennium city before the end of 2024. And that in the last quarter of 2024, the facility will be commissioned to boost the of state-of-the-art medical equipment aiming to transform and reform the State health care delivery while also reducing medical tourism.
“This center also has an oncology unit for the research, diagnosis and treatment of cancers. Our investment in infrastructure cut across the spectrum health that is the primary, secondary and tertiary facilities we have in the state.”
“This is done to ensure every level of care is transformed to provide the best care for our people. In this vein therefore, the government is upgrading 9 secondary facilities, 3 each in the senatorial districts.”
The commissioner added that the hospitals are General Hospitals Maigana with 72 percent completion, Rigasa with 69 percent completion, that of Gwantu with 65 percent Completion, Ikara with 47 percent completion, Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa Memorial Hospital Kafanchan with 43 percent completion, General Hospital Giwa with 45 percent completion. The newly awarded hospital of Dabo Lere Memorial Hospital, Lere, Sabon Tasha and Kachia were handed over to the Contractors who are currently mobilizing to commence work.
These facilities Ahmed further explained are currently at various stages of extensive reconstruction, re-modelling, and equipping as part of the Kaduna State Government’s initiative to improve healthcare infrastructure.
“Additionally, the State is upgrading 30 high-volume healthcare facilities into “centers of excellence,” ensuring that residents, particularly in rural areas, have access to modern healthcare services.”
“It’s a well known fact that Governor Sani has approved the distribution of modern medical equipment worth over 3 billion naira to 290 upgraded Primary Health Centres, significantly enhancing their capacity to provide quality healthcare services. And with the intervention in nutrition which is designed to ensure that malnutrition is treated and prevented by ensuring children receive adequate nutrients for sustained growth and development even after recovery.”
Ahmed said the Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) plays a crucial role in addressing malnutrition, particularly in children suffering from severe acute malnutrition and that, the Governor has directed the distribution of 31,000 cartoons which is equivalent to 4,650,000 doses of RUTF and over 2,000 healthcare workers have received training in vital specialties like nutrition, health promotion this is aimed at ensuring that our communities receive skilled and compassionate health care personnel.
According to the commissioner, 1,354 Community Health Influencers, Promoters, and Service Providers (CHIPS) have been engaged across 14 Local Government Areas to extend healthcare reach and bring essential services closer to the people.
“The Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, between the government and the Pharmaceutical Group of Manufacturing Association of Nigeria has been renewed. This aims at ensuring that quality medicines and health supplies are consistently available, affordable, and equitably distributed to meet the health needs of the population. In addition, distribution of medicines and other health supplies by Kaduna state Health supply management agency (KADHSMA) to health facilities is now 100%, thereby enhancing universal health coverage in the State.”
Ahmed added that Governor Sani believes in the power of digitalization in the healthcare system for improved service delivery. The State has digitized 95 percent of State Primary Healthcare Board (SPHCB) staff data, marking a significant modernization in health system management. This innovation enhances our ability to monitor and improve health service and that upgrading of the State Medical Stores at KADHSMA to Pharmagrade Standard:
In partnership with the Global Fund and the Federal Ministry of Health, the State Medical Stores at KADHSMA have been upgraded to Pharmagrade standards.
“This ensures best practices in storage, warehousing, and inventory management of medicines and health commodities. The upgraded warehouse include a laboratory for testing the quality of stored medicines, ensuring that only quality medications are dispensed to patients.”
“And the state Government, in collaboration with UNICEF, has established an additional Medical Oxygen Plant at Yusuf Dantsoho Memorial Hospital, Tudun Wada, demonstrating a commitment to closing the medical oxygen gap in our healthcare system. This initiative, alongside the existing plant at Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa Memorial Hospital, Kafanchan, aims to save lives and improve healthcare quality. Plans are also underway for two additional Medical Oxygen Plants in the State. Notably, Kaduna State is the first in the country to establish a Medical Oxygen Framework for the smooth operation of the Medical Oxygen System.” She stated.