Group Demands Reopening Of Private Health Schools In Katsina

The Struggle for Good Governance (SGS) has demanded the immediate reopening of all qualified private health institutions in Katsina State, accusing the government of bias and selective enforcement in the continued closure of some schools.

Addressing journalists, the chairman of the group, Habibu Ruma, said that out of 32 private health schools in the state, only 14 are currently operating, while the remaining institutions have remained closed for over one year and two months without clear justification.

The group demanded that the state government treat all institutions equally, noting that schools offering similar programmes and meeting the same regulatory requirements should not be subjected to different standards.

SGS called on Governor Dikko Umaru Radda to order the reopening of all qualified private health schools and to direct relevant agencies to issue clear, written guidelines on corrective measures where deficiencies exist.

The group also demanded a review of the suspension and rationalisation of key public health programmes, including ND Public Health, Epidemiology, and Disease Control, warning that the policy could lead to loss of accreditation, admission quotas, and negatively affect community health delivery.

Ruma further demanded a probe into alleged conflicts of interest within inspection and approval committees, insisting that officials connected to institutions still in operation should not participate in regulatory decisions.

He also called for accountability from regulatory authorities that initially approved and licensed the affected schools, stressing that institutions should not be punished without due process.

Ruma warned that failure to address the demands would leave the group with no option but to pursue all lawful and constitutional means to protect the rights of affected students and safeguard the public interest.