The Sokoto State health sector is witnessing an unprecedented revival under Governor Ahmad Aliyu, who inherited a “sector that was in the Intensive Care Unit” but that has rapidly been repositioned for service delivery and efficiency, says the state’s Commissioner of Health, Dr. Faruk Umar Abubakar.
Dr. Abubakar, a veteran health administrator with over 35 years of experience and a former Registrar/CEO of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN), credited the turnaround to Governor Aliyu’s political will and strategic investment in healthcare infrastructure and manpower.
According to him, “When the governor took over, he found a health system that was on its knees due to the neglect by the previous administration.
“The infrastructure at the hospitals were practically nonexistent, with obsolete and decayed equipment. Even the mattresses were torn into pieces and the beds broken,” he said.
He argued that to turn around the situation, GovernorAliyu ordered the immediate provision of critical equipment and mattresses.
He disclosed that the government has since procured nine ultrasound machines and distributed them to nine general hospitals — three for each senatorial district. Same with X-ray machines — one for each geographical zone — so that investigations can be carried out at that level.
He said: ”The people don’t have to travel to Sokoto for health investigations”.
The commissioner noted that under Governor Aliyu’s 9-Point SMART Agenda, 10 general hospitals are currently undergoing phased rehabilitation.
“Additionally, hospitals are now equipped with new beds, incubators, solar-powered systems, and 24-hour water supply through boreholes and overhead tanks,” he said.
“The government is equally pursuing the speedy completion of two general hospitals in Dange Shuni and Wamakko local government areas, which presently do not have one because the Aminu Tambuwal administration abandoned them after taking over from the administration of former Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko.
“We have about 824 primary healthcare centres, health posts, and clinics across the 23 local government areas. In each of the 240 wards, we have a primary health centre; health posts and clinics in villages — that is what gives us the 824 facilities across the state. Presently, we have about 21 hospitals, meaning at least one general hospital in each LGA,” he said.
Dr. Abubakar further disclosed plans by the Governor Aliyu administration to build a world-class hospital in Sokoto State, in line with his 9-Point SMART Agenda, which is focused on ensuring comprehensive healthcare for the people of the state.
He stated that the state has adopted a twin-pronged approach to healthcare delivery — hence its simultaneous investment in curative and preventative services to improve health indices across the state.
Dr. Abubakar said the government also launched a state-wide needs assessment, which exposed glaring gaps and helped develop a strategic framework to tackle challenges at the primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare levels.
“This government is not just reacting; we are planning. And that’s the game-changer, because health is wealth,” he said.
