Health Sector: Cardinal To Masari's Restoration Agenda

DEMYSTIFYING THE MASARI'S HEALTH SECTOR ACHIEVEMENTS 

Preamble

"Health is wealth" it is a general believe that it is only a healthy environment/society that think and think critically. Development is only an abstract without a healthy mind, critical thinking, plan and strategic implementation are key to the development of any nation which are not achievable without a sound healthy person/mind.

The last editorial article of Katsina Media and Publicity revealed that its subsequent submissions as campaigns begins will be on explaining in details the sector by sector achievements of the Aminu Bello Masari's Administration in the last 3 and half years. In responding to some of these challenges, we are today with details on the midas touch in one of the most important life sectors; the health sector.

Review of the situation (prior to the restoration agenda)

The situation of the state health provision institutions in Katsina was pathetic as it pierces not only the administrative, infrastructure and lack of equipments aspect but the structural and hygienic aspect as well. In his Excellency's words; "our hospitals' situation was the one that one goes with a headache and comes back with a stomachache". For a man that was brought up in a very simple family background and benefitted from public institutions, had nothing at heart other than ensuring the renovation, upgrade and complete rehabilitation of the benefitted institutions.

On assumption of office in May 2015, the state government had inherited 948 nurses as against the 1148 nurses inherited in 2007 by the immediate past administration, doctors at inception of the past previous administration in 2007 were 168 and handed over in 2015 only 130, which shows a decline in number by 22 doctors in spite of the increasing population of the state, these are aside the casualisation of the health sector with non qualified and incompetent personnel.

The restoration in Health Sector; (the restoration period)

Information is critical to achieving success in any activity, for this reason the Governor visits hospitals himself even in the night to make himself well informed about the happenings and the needs for effective decision making and successful implementation.

The last 3 and half years saw a massive reform and total upgrade in the states healthcare provisions such as its expansion, its equipping, its renovating, its employing the most competent and qualified man power. It is all about building institutions that train and retrained the manpower so that they respond to 21st century health challenges.

To start with in 2015, the state government awarded the contract for the renovation, upgrade and expansion of its 3 premier hospitals, namely; Katsina, Daura and Funtua and also reviewed the situation of manpower and equipments.

Today, the story is positive as all the secondary health sectors are at various stages of completion the progress so far recoded Kankia at 80%, Musawa 60%, Malumfashi 60%, Baure and Dutsenma are also at various stages of completion too.

The state government had also in the last 3 and half years upgraded some of the state primary healthcare centers to general hospitals as in Mai'aduwa and Kafur, and also making functional some of the state medical outpost to comprehensive health care centers as in Rimi.

Fundamental to note is that it is not only the infrastructures in these facilities that are only of concern but equipments, drugs, qualified doctors and other auxiliary staff, to make the job professional and result oriented

The continuity of the restoration (restoration in the next level)

Improving the rural health system and strengthening the urban as well, Katsina state Government is in talk and negotiation with Islamic Development Bank to construct and equip 361 comprehensive primary health care centers. Technically each and every ward in Katsina state by this arrangement will have a standard healthcare centre well equipped. The state Government had since been ready and committed itself by setting aside funds in the 2019 budget estimates for this project.

Moving to the next level, the Katsina state government is set for the establishment of its own teaching hospital, eye centre and college of medicine for Umaru Musa Yar'adua University. In this regards all the required equipments are available and the manpower had since been trained.

Along similar line of reasoning, the Katsina state government had upgraded its school of nursing and midwifery to now admit 120 students and graduate 100 as against the initial 50 in this school facilities worth hundreds of millions were available also with required man power. Same positive story goes to Nursing school Kankia which will from this session commence Higher National Diploma programs.

In terms of equipment, the state government procured Dialysis Machine which render free services, MRI and CT scan machines, prior to which one most go to Kano or Zaria for these services.

There is no project that helps make human life much better than government commitments in health sector as projects done in this area affect even the remotest person in the state.

Obvious as it remains, the good people of Katsina state will never reverse back to the era of carelessness and no value for human person, the most important job of any government in a democratic arrangement is to make projects that affect all, irrespective of demography, gender and social status. Any DEVELOPMENT that is not all inclusive is a mere political and parochial achievement.

Courtesy Katsina Media and Publicity