The Yobe State government has said it spends N360,000,000 annually on free Dialysis for patients with kidney disease.
The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Baba Mallam Wali, disclosed this while briefing the Director of the Biomedical Science Research and Training Centre (BioRTC) at his office in Damaturu.
According to him, the Governor of Yobe State, Hon. Mai Mala Buni, is worried about rising cases of kidney failure in the state, especially in the Bade Local Government Area.
He noted that the governor, Mai Mala, had earlier led a delegation to the London School of Hygiene and other institutions in England, mainly to initiate the research project.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser on Science, Research, and Innovation, Dr Mahmoud Bukar Maina, who also serves as the Director of the Biomedical Science Research and Training Centre (BioRTC), steered this during a courtesy visit to the Secretary to the State Government, Baba Malam Wali.
He said that over 2000 blood and urine samples, along with 500 samples of soil, water, fish, vegetables, and other food items, have been collected in Bade and Damaturu Local Government Areas as part of an extensive study to determine the root causes of kidney failure in the state.
He said the visit followed the successful completion of the first sample and data collection phase in Bade and Damaturu local government areas.
He explained that the research initiative is part of a broader effort by the Yobe State Government, under the leadership of Governor Mala Buni, to address the rising cases of kidney disease in the state.
Dr. Maina further stated that the ongoing research represents the project’s first stage, adding that a second phase will follow, focusing on individuals already diagnosed with kidney disease for further analysis.
In his response, the Commissioner of the Yobe State Ministry of Health and Human Services, Dr Muhammad Lawan Gana, stated that the Yobe State Government’s kidney research funding has been a dividend of democracy since the inception of the Mai Mala administration.
He commended Governor Buni’s efforts to prioritise the state’s health sector, saying that most governments are very weak in funding research.
Also, the Chief Medical Director of Yobe State University Teaching Hospital, Dr. Baba Waru Goni, commended the state government for its continued support of healthcare initiatives.
