From Abdullahi Idris,Bauchi
Bauchi State governor, Senator Bala Mohammed has requested the Federal Ministry of Health to assist in the establishment of a functional Polymerase Chain Reaction, PCR, Centre in order to improve its capacity in the management of infectious diseases.
The governor, who made the request at the opening ceremony of the 2024 ministerial retreat of the Federal Ministry of Health held in Bauchi, noted that despite having qualified staff and molecular laboratories, Bauchi is currently taking samples to Gombe State, resulting in delays and increased costs.
Represented by his Deputy, Auwal Jatau, Governor Mohammed also appealed to the Federal Ministry of Education to facilitate the inclusion of health training institutions in TETFund’s intervention in a move to enhance healthcare training in the state.
He said his administration understands the importance of collaboration among stakeholders to build a healthy and prosperous nation, hence remain open for partnership with the federal government, international organisations, NGOs and the private sector to save lives and enhance the wellbeing of citizens.
According to him, since the inception of his administration in 2019, it has declared a state of emergency in the health sector which paved way to prioritise healthcare in the state’s budgets with the allocation of over 15 percent of the total budget.
The governor, who noted that the administration’s focus had also been on health infrastructure with major renovations in hospitals and health centers, said it had renovated 27 general hospitals and is working to upgrade over 1,200 primary healthcare centres, ensuring that they are equipped with state-of-the- art medical equipment.
“Our administration has made significant strides in providing physical infrastructure across sectors, recognising that the real asset of a prosperous state lies in human capital. This is why our focus has now shifted to building human capacity, particularly within the social sector.
“Unfortunately. our healthcare system still struggles with a shortage of qualified personnel. To address this, we have lifted the long-standing embargo on the recruitment of healthcare workers and over 3,000 new staff have been employed.
“We are committed to ensuring that healthcare workers, especially those in rural areas, receive competitive salaries and allowances. A high-level committee has already recommended aligning state healthcare workers’ salaries with federal standards, and we are working to implement these changes. Additionally, we are cleaning up our payroll and eliminating ghost workers to ensure that resources are directed where they are needed the most.
“Today, we also celebrate the official handover of the General Hospital, Misau, to the federal government to serve as the new Federal Medical Centre. This demonstrates our administration’s commitment to improve access to healthcare for our citizens. In addition, we have pledged to continue paying staff salaries for the next six months to ensure a smooth transition,” he said.
In his speech, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate explained that the retreat was important to enable the Federal Ministry of Health ensure full and effective implementation of the President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda in the health sector.
