Bauchi’s N14 billion Health Intervention Fund And Facility

The penultimate weekend, the headlines were awash with news of a N10 billion health intervention in Bauchi, launched by the Federal Government under the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. The flag-off was witnessed by yours truly, as emergency obstetric and newborn healthcare equipment, commodities, delivery kits, drugs, ambulances, Keke ambulances, and all kinds of medical supplies to the tune of N10 billion were made available to the state’s Federal and state-owned healthcare institutions.

Bauchi is blessed with atleast four federal Healthcare Institutions of which two are teaching hospitals, The Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital, which has a new site soon to be launched, and the Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences Teaching Hospital in Azare. Bauchi is also blessed with the National Obstetric Fistula Centre, NOFIC, Ningi, which is the primary Federal Institution dedicated to the treatment and rehabilitation of obstetric fistula in the region. Coincidentally, this institution was established in Bauchi by Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate during his first stint as Minister of Health. This centre has now moved to its newly built clinical complex and has successfully commenced utilising electronic medical records in line with the Federal Government’s paperless transition policy across ministries and parastatals. Bauchi also has a Federal Medical Centre in Misau, which was established just two years ago. The Specialist Hospital in Misau was converted to a Federal Medical Centre to bring improved healthcare to other urban centres across the state.

The launch of the intervention aims to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality by providing essential drugs to healthcare facilities across Bauchi, as well as medical equipment, ambulances, Keke ambulances, and maternity kits. The intervention is part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment towards enhancing healthcare delivery nationwide. Prof. Pate at the launch stated that 20 primary healthcare centres across 15 local governments will receive labour and delivery equipment such as suction machines, oxygen concentrators, blood pressure monitors, and newborn care equipment. Others include 17,000 maternity kits for pregnant women, essential drugs and medical commodities, as well as conventional ambulances and the tricycle ambulances, also known as Keke ambulances. The maternity kits are meant to ease the financial burden of expectant mothers. All medical commodities for safe delivery would be provided free of charge. He vehemently warned healthcare workers against the sale of the items and asked them not to charge patients for services that have been provided free of charge for them. In his words, “there should be no under-the-table payment”. This was an invocation of his earlier red letter to Nigerian citizens, calling on them to take ownership of their local healthcare facilities and hold health officers accountable.

However, what was not properly captured by the headlines was the launching of the State-of-the-Art Radiology Diagnostics and Clinical Trials Centre, at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital, ATBUTH, along Hospital Road, Bauchi. The Federal Government, under the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, NSIA, developed such projects to spearhead the improvement of local healthcare and to curtail the need for medical tourism. The advanced diagnostic and oncology centre was built in partnership with the NSIA, with a target of 350,000 patients annually for diagnostics, and 5000 patients for specialised cancer care. The clinical trial centre, inaugurated by Prof. Pate, is designed to enhance local clinical research, innovation, and the development of evidence-based healthcare in Nigeria. The Federal Govt’s Renewed Hope Healthcare Agenda was boosted by FEC’s (Federal Executive Council’s) approval of N2.1 billion for the upgrade of the hospital through rehabilitation and provision of heavy equipment such as the new 64-slice CT Scan and other digital Xray tools to support the diagnostic services. ATBUTH is the new home for specialised scans, imaging or oncology consultations.

At the launch of the intervention and clinical trials/diagnostics centre, Prof. Pate also announced that the first batch of the National Health Fellows had been absorbed into the Federal Civil Service. The second batch will soon be on its way to the Federal Civil Service, bringing the total to 40 specialists from Bauchi state. Quite a number of healthcare workers from Bauchi state had already been absorbed into the Federal Civil Service, with a widespread approach that draws employees from across the state’s 20 local governments. Charity, they say, begins at home, and this is not the first time that Bauchi State has enjoyed more than perks by having Prof. Pate as the health minister. Healthcare interventions totalling N14 billion and more in Bauchi state, not to mention the various new medical facilities in the state and the employment of so many youths, surely pose the political question for Bauchi citizens. Has the renewed hope healthcare agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, ably executed by his minister of health, done enough to address the healthcare challenges faced by Bauchi’s citizenry? Are the indigent folk’s healthcare and their maternal health challenges being addressed? In my own ward in Bauchi, the primary healthcare centre at Masaka, Doya, had an event a few days after the event at ATBUTH. At the event, facilities for physiotherapy, occupational therapy, audiology, prosthetics, and orthotics were presented to serve and rehabilitate persons with disabilities. I must say, Bauchi has not had it this good in healthcare. Thank you, Mr President, for all the healthcare facilities. Thank you, Prof. Pate, for the fine delivery.