Governor Tambuwal orders closure of dilapidated hospital

okoooo....Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State has ordered the closure of the state owned Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital located at Unguwan Rogo area of Sokoto town.
The governor’s spokesman, Malam Imam Imam in a statement on Friday said this followed an unscheduled visit by the Governor to assess the state of the hospital facilities which many in the state have described as appalling.


He explained that health professionals have voiced their concern over the substandard facilities at the hospital, and have urged the government to intervene for the benefit of the populace.

He added that a visit to the hospital showed that apart from lack of basic health facilities, the integrity of the buildings cannot be guaranteed due to cracks on the walls and that the roofs are blown off by the wind.
Information available indicated that all patients have been moved to other public hospitals in the state capital, while feasibility study has commenced on how to upgrade the facilities and reopen as soon as possible.
Malam Imam Imam confirmed that once the upgrade is completed, it would be converted into a renal and cardiac centre whose establishment was earlier announced by the state government.
“Yes I can confirm that the Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital will be upgraded. The new facility will host the proposed cardiac and renal centre while the Amanawa Leprosareum will be converted to an Infectious Diseases Hospital,” Imam said.

Meanwhile, the state government has said it has expended about N50m to provide free drugs to indigent patients in hospitals and pharmaceuticals stores across the state.
The funds, released between January and May this year, were expended through the state Zakat and Endowment Committee, an agency under the state Ministry of Religious Affairs.
“We deposit the funds in selected hospitals and pharmacies to provide drugs to all those who cannot afford to buy. It is one of the social intervention programmes of the government and so far, it has proven to be hugely successful,” chairman of the state Zakat and Endowment Committee, Malam Lawal Maidoki, said.