Kaduna Govt Takes Delivery of N2.9bn Hospital Equipment

Kaduna State Government on Wednesday took delivery of N2.9 billion array of hospital equipment it procured for onward distribution to 290 Primary Health Care (PHC) facilities spread across the 255 political wards in the state.

Taking the delivery of the array of equipment in Kaduna, the state Commissioner for Health, Doctor Amina Mohammed-Baloni quickly added that, over 2,000 medical staff have been employed to complement the acquired equipment at the benefitting public facilities spread across the 23 local government has of the State.

She further disclosed that the state government in its efforts to take healthcare closer to the people is also building 255 clinics in addition to the upgraded 255 focal Primary Health Centers (PHCs).

“We are here to receive the equipment that Kaduna State Government bought for all the 255 focal PHCs in the state. As you know, we have 255 wards and in line with the implementation of the policy of Primary Healthcare Under One Roof, we have embarked on renovations, and upgrades and now equipping these facilities. 

“In addition to that, we have employed over 2,000 staff to make sure that, these facilities are fully functional for 24 hours.

“This equipment was bought last year at the value of about N2.9billion, for each of the facilities to be fully equipped and staff for services to be rendered the whole day.

“These equipment are not just for the 255 PHCs, but for 290. We have 255 focal PHCs in our 255 wards in the state, but some wards are very big and we have added additional PHCs, which are being built, and some have been completed. So, they are 290 altogether and we have purchased this equipment for all of them.

“We are also building 255 clinics in addition to the PHCs, to improve access to care.

“Some of the major equipment that we have here include bed furniture, examination couch, hospital bed and mattresses, stainless steel drip stand, stools, and Ward screens. We have lab instrument, which includes the microscope, different instruments to be used in the labour ward and the open ward, and baby warmers among others. So, it’s a whole range of equipment that you need to have a fully functional facility. 

“This is a major achievement. We have been concentrating on infrastructure and you have to have the equipment, as well as the staff. You have to have the equipment as well as the staff. So, we have done the infrastructure, we have done staffing and this is the equipment best, they complement each other. 

“We have put measures in place to ensure that the equipment is properly distributed, and put to use for the people,” she said.

Secretary, Kaduna State Maternal Accountability Mechanism (KADMAM), Isah Gidado commended the state government for the giant stride saying, “the project was a product of advocacy by the civil society organisations in the state”. 

Photo: Commissioner for Health, Doctor Amina Mohammed-Baloni taking the delivery of the equipment in Kaduna on Wednesday