The Federal Government has announced the completion and simultaneous commissioning of ultramodern diagnostic centres across 10 states of the country, with the aim of facilitating the diagnosis and treatment of illnesses.
The disclosure was made by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Mohammed Ali Pate, while speaking to Bauchi State Governor, Sen. Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, during a courtesy visit to the Governor’s Office on Monday.
The Coordinating Minister explained that, “The reason for our visit, we’re starting in Bauchi today, but we have 10 major health infrastructure projects carried out through Med-Serv, through NSIA, by the Federal Government, all across Nigeria. Two years ago, we laid the foundation for the first one here in Bauchi, a world-class radiodiagnostic centre, and two years later, that facility has been completed, and all the 10 facilities all over Nigeria have been completed.”
Ali Pate added, “This marks the largest expansion of health infrastructure and equipment in Nigeria’s history. Beyond the 10 radiodiagnostic centres, there are also three world-class cancer centres that have been completed. So we’re here to kick off by commissioning the world-class diagnostic centre at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital here in Bauchi, and then we’ll proceed to Oyo State, in Ibadan, to commission the second one, and eight others are already completed all over Nigeria.
“According to him, “This marks a giant step in the commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to revamp Nigeria’s health sector with world-class diagnostic materials, infrastructure and equipment for services to Nigerians, as well as high-quality hospital infrastructure for services, training and research.
“So that’s the purpose, the main purpose, for our visit here in Bauchi, and we, as is the case, appreciate the collaboration between the Federal Government and states. I felt it necessary to come and acknowledge that before we go and commission the facility,” he added.
The Coordinating Minister added, “But there’s a lot more good news coming behind this, because there are six major multi-specialty hospitals, one in each geopolitical zone, that are being prepared as part of the expansion of the footprint of the health sector in Nigeria.”
Also speaking, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, said, “This is the commissioning of the Medsa Diagnostic Centre, a project the administration supported from groundbreaking through to completion. That project is a small picture of a larger point. The reforms we are pursuing nationally, stabilising the macro-economy, restoring investor confidence and strengthening our institutions, are not ends in themselves.
“According to him, “They assist to make projects like the one we are commissioning today possible, and to make them repeatable in Bauchi State and across the country. None of this happens without willing partners at the state level. Your Excellency’s engagement on this project, and on the broader question of how Bauchi State participates in national growth, from agriculture to security to human capital, is exactly the kind of federal-state alignment our reform agenda depends on.”
He assured that, “We will continue to work with Bauchi State and with every state to turn macro-economic stability into tangible outcomes for our people: better healthcare, better infrastructure and a more productive economy.”
In his response, Bauchi State Governor, Sen. Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, said, “Today coincides, very pleasantly, with my life, because it’s a double barrel of goodwill and goodness: the day that I was born and the day when two erudite and most auspicious members of the Federal Cabinet visited us and brought goodies to our livelihood in Bauchi, and came to my office. And that is our Minister of Finance and our brother, the Minister of Health.”
He stressed, “We are always proud of this kind of partnership. We at the subnational level are always looking forward to the Federal Government bringing things, especially in the sectors that really augment our meagre resources.
“And one of the first things that Mr President has done today, three years ago, I was part of the team that really flagged off this project, and it was done here in Bauchi. And coincidentally, we were in the opposition, and then after Bauchi was Oyo State, also an opposition state. That shows the kind of person, the pedigree, Mr President has as a statesman.”
He stressed that, “We don’t always just oppose and criticise for criticism’s sake. When we see good things, we say it. Mr President has done so well in so many aspects, especially this aspect of our own common livelihood in the areas of health and finance, because the states are getting more revenue now. And we are very grateful.”
“You can see what we are doing with the revenue in the state. We are grateful that they are coming to us to augment what we are doing at the subnational level, especially in the area of health services. What you have done to establish high-quality health infrastructure is definitely going to provide the needed health facilities that are always absent in a state like Bauchi, where they are lacking, and sometimes affordability is very low because of the reality of our financial situation,” he added.
Bala Mohammed added, “And this is going to really bring goodwill across the country, because you are going to do it in 10 other places, and I think they are being simultaneously launched as they were being flagged off about three years ago. Timelines that are respected and the delivery that is being made today, starting with Bauchi, on behalf of myself and all the subnationals, we are very grateful for the provision, for the equipping, what you have brought to us at the state level, at the state levels.”
According to him, “Definitely, more Nigerians, or all Nigerians, live at the state level. And so Mr President has a good vision to bring this kind of thing to us, and we assure you we have a very excellent relationship with the teaching hospital in Bauchi. The young man is doing very well. He’s always with us. There is no barrier in terms of the collaboration that we are doing with him, and that is what we are going to do.”
The Governor stressed, “We cannot play politics with health and education. We cannot play politics with services. We are very grateful to Mr President, and in that, I want to really affirm our gratitude to Mr President, because he has done so many things for us in Bauchi, especially in the areas of security.
“He has just established two Army formations in Bauchi: one in Alkaleri and one in Tafawa Balewa. This is really going to make us very happy. The people of Bauchi are very proud of him. When we were almost overrun by bandits, nobody was coming to our care. I went to him, and he responded, in spite of my position as a member of the opposition. He sent a high-powered military contingent under the NSA, the military services and all the security organisations, removed all the over 100,000 people who were trying to destroy peace. And today, those who were displaced have returned to their places, and they have found this promising,” he added.
He stressed, “We will never forget this. Both you and you are very, very close to Mr President. Tell him we will never forget this goodwill that he has done to us. We are very grateful. And of course, we are working very hard to make sure that we work with the military high command to ensure the speedy establishment of those battalions that he has brought to us in Bauchi, knowing our peculiar challenges.”
The Governor added, “As for all the things that the Minister of Finance has said, I agree with you. A lot of macro-economic stability is being established, and we will work together to make sure we educate Nigerians where there are areas that we think we can give our input. We may not have to go public, but we’ll tell you. If we tell you, it is not just because we don’t appreciate the other good things, which is 70 per cent that you are doing for us. But if there are 10 or 5 per cent information that we will give you to augment what you are doing, we do it because we are the same people, the common people of Nigeria.”
He concluded, “In the areas of health, the FG have done so much. You have established the University of Health in Bauchi. You have established Federal Medical Centres in Bauchi that were not there before. So as far as we are concerned, for what Mr President has done to this young man that we are very proud of, Professor Pate, we are always showing gratitude and appreciation. Before, thank you to other destinations, certainly.”