Yobe Gov Seeks FG’s Support In Re-positioning Healthcare System
Governor Ibrahim Gaidam made the appeal on Monday in Damaturu, the
capital of Yobe State, in a meeting with the Minister of Health,
Professor Isaac Adewole, who was in the state to access the situation of
the healthcare facilities ravaged by the Boko Haram insurgency.
The Governor said that the insurgency had grounded most healthcare
facilities in the state thereby affecting the entire healthcare system.
He said that despite the tremendous efforts made in the health sector
by the State Government, a lot needed to be done to improve the health
needs of the people.
The Governor, represented by his Deputy, Abubakar Aliyu, said that
the acts of terror of the Boko Haram sect had led to destruction of
several health facilities in Gujba and Gulani Local Government Areas of
the state while the ones in Damaturu and other major towns of the state,
had been over stretched by the accumulated number of the Internally
Displaced Persons (IDPs).
According to Governor Gaidam, the State Government had upgraded and
restructured healthcare facilities at the state specialist’s hospital as
well as the construction of 200 bed capacity in the state capital with
the hope of meeting the healthcare needs of the people.
The Minister of Health, however, said that his visit to the state was
timely as he was in Yobe for assessment purpose with a view to
upgrading the needed facilities.
The Minister said that President Muhammadu Buhari was determined to
reposition healthcare facilities across the country with emphasis on
Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States, which were bedeviled by the Boko Haram
insurgency.
Attention on such upgrade, he said, would focus on the primary and
secondary healthcare systems as such would tell positively on the lives
of the common man.
The Minister said that President Buhari’s administration would work
assiduously towards improving the health situation, pointing out that
the government would provide mobile ambulances, urgent health care
needs, as well as potable water.
On the Lassa fever epidemic, Professor Adewole described it as an
‘occasional wind’ which the present administration would work hard to
fizzle out of the country permanently.
The Minister also visited some IDP camps in Damaturu where he assured
them of the Federal Government’s support in the improvement of their
well being.
The Minister would proceed to Adamawa and Borno States for similar
assessment tour of the insurgency prone states of the North-East
geopolitical zones.
