The First Lady of Bauchi State, Aishatu Mohammed, on Saturday commissioned a newly constructed National Health Insurance Scheme complex at the Bauchi State Specialist Hospital, describing the facility as a significant addition to the state’s healthcare infrastructure.
The facility includes a labour room, Special Care Baby Unit, pharmacy, laboratory, medical records section and other support services designed to improve the quality, accessibility and efficiency of healthcare delivery.
Speaking during the commissioning, the First Lady said she was particularly pleased that the facility was designed to address the healthcare needs of women and children.
She said, “I am particularly pleased that the facility has been designed to significantly cater to the healthcare needs of women and children.
“This is extremely important because the health of women and children is directly connected to the well-being and future of our communities. When our mothers are healthy, our families are stronger, and when our children have access to quality healthcare, we build a healthier and more prosperous future.”
Aishatu, who spoke as a mother and advocate for women and children, stressed
the importance of ensuring that women had access to safe and dignified maternal healthcare while children received the care and protection they deserved.
She commended the management and staff of the Specialist Hospital, particularly the Chief Medical Director, for their leadership and commitment to the completion of the project.
“Your efforts remind us that when vision, leadership and dedication come together, meaningful development becomes possible,” she added.
The First Lady also reaffirmed her commitment to supporting initiatives that promote the health, dignity and well-being of women and children, particularly vulnerable persons in need of collective support.
She, however, said the commissioning of the facility was only the beginning, noting that its true success would depend on how well it was utilised, protected and sustained.
She called on the hospital management, healthcare professionals, relevant government agencies, development partners and residents of Bauchi State to work together to maintain the facility.
“Let us protect the infrastructure, use the equipment responsibly, maintain a clean environment and ensure that every patient who comes here is treated with professionalism, compassion and dignity. Good governance can provide the infrastructure, but all of us have a role to play in ensuring that this investment continues to serve generations to come”, she said.
The First Lady expressed optimism that the facility would become a centre of healing and hope and contribute to the reduction of maternal and child mortality in the state.
Earlier, the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Professor Abdulkareem Mairiga, said the project was part of the hospital management’s efforts to expand its capacity and improve services for its growing number of patients.
According to him, the hospital currently serves more than 16,000 NHIS clients, making it necessary to create additional spaces to accommodate patients and healthcare services.
Mairiga explained that the management initially remodelled four existing structures to accommodate NHIS services.
“We felt there was a need to add more places where our patients could be seen. That was why we decided to remodel four houses and create areas for our pharmacy, laboratory, medical records, consulting rooms and laundry services,” he said.
He added that the hospital later constructed a separate facility to strengthen maternal and child healthcare services. The CMD said the new structure included a labour room with about five beds and a Special Care Baby Unit for newborns requiring specialised attention.
0 Comments