Governor Al-Makura On A Rescue Mission To Salvage The Health Sector

Rabiu Omaku

The health sector in Nasarawa state has passed through strings of achievements under the headship of Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura. This a paradigm shift as more people have access to public health services, another breakthrough was the establishment of three “state of the art” hospitals constructed in Lafia, Akwanga and Nasarawa Local Government respectively, even as Akwanga specialist hospital project was is at its advance stage.

Each of the three senatorial zones no doubt benefitted from the hands of fellowship of the Governor. The 160 bed specialist hospital in the state capital would half the plight of people in the senatorial zone which include commoners from Lafia, the state capital as well as others catchment areas such as Obi, Awe, Keana and Doma, while other two hospitals that were constructed in Nasarawa West senatorial zone and Akwanga zone respectively will serve the people of Nasarawa west senatorial district who travelled as far as the Federal capital and Kogi state to access better health care delivery and also serve the people of Akwanga  and the entire Akwanga zone that comprises of  Akwanga, Wamba, Nasarawa Eggon and its environs.

Construction Of Specialist Hospital Lafia

The ultra modern hospital with eight departments is a 160 beds capacity health centre ,The hospital if completed would ameliorate the plight and preponderances faced by expectant mothers and other category of sick persons, The new hospital sited at the state capital would also go a long way in decongesting Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital which over the years serves as Primary Health Care, General hospital as well Specialist hospital whose existing facilities has been overstretched, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura during the flag-off of the hospital maintained that the specialist  hospital would also served as a referral centre for other hospitals.

While the people of Nasarawa Western senatorial zone comprises of Nasarawa, Kokona, Karu, Keffi, Toto would be given a new lease of life as the ongoing project has reached its advanced stage. People in that zone are in quandary in an attempt to access health care delivery due to absence of either PHC or bad road; people of Toto Local Government preferred accessing health care in the nation’s capital, Abuja or part of Kogi state. Also people from Loko have more access to health care in Benue than in Nasarawa state, while people of Keffi, Karu pay high fees for less health care delivery.

Establishment Of Primary Health Care Development Agency

To hit the ground running, the state Governor was the first to establish the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHDA), setting up standard for others Governors to follow, the establishment of the agency is a step in the  right direction to enhance better health services to the populace especially people at the hinterland.

Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura has in the last four years accord premise to the existing General hospitals which are prone to criminals by constructing fences in some selected hospitals, The holistic approach of constructing fence in the state owned hospitals would in no small measure  tackle incessant attacks meted on patients on hospital bed.

Renovation Of Awe General Hospital

The upgrading of Awe General hospital  which was a breeding ground for reptiles and rodents is a major breakthrough to the people of that zone, even as same was done to Doma General hospital.

Awe General Hospital was given a total facelift under the current administration in the state as more and new building were constructed

Establishment Of College Of Health Technology, Keffi

The approval of the state House of Assembly to convert the School of Health Technology to College of Health Technology would go a long way in tackling the shortage of manpower that has marred the sector.

Introduction Of Mobile Clinic

The introduction of Mobile clinic in the state by Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura was meant to cushion the effect of lack of access to health care delivery in the hinterland, this is an eye opener that the APC led-government is a people oriented regime whose core value are the provision of dividends of democracy to the people. The state Governor while launching the mobile clinic opined that the “Clinic on wheels” would be distributed to crisis prone areas.

The Establishment Of University Teaching Hospital Lafia

The concerted effort by the state Governor to establish a University Teaching Hospital Lafia was received with fanfare due to absence of Teaching hospital in the state, The Governor in his policy statement affirmed that the proposed Teaching hospital would use the existing facilities of Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital.