Minister of Health, Prof. Muhammad Pate, has said the ongoing health reform in Nigeria is designed to save lives and reduce both physical and financial pains.
Pate stated this while handing over medical equipment and consumables to Gidauniyar Alheri Community Health Centre on Friday in Kano. Represented by his Technical Assistant, Dr Ashiru Abubakar, the minister said the reform, in line with the National Health Act, sought to establish a ‘National Health System’ that would guarantee access to quality healthcare for all Nigerians.
According to him, achieving such a system requires the collective contributions of government, the private sector, and development partners through effective public-private partnerships. “As part of the revitalisation of healthcare services and institutions, I have received a brief from the former Minister of National Planning and Budget, Dr Shamsudeen Usman. The briefing indicated that this community-based hospital has been rendering selfless services to the people of Kano State,” he said.
Pate commended the former minister for his contributions to community healthcare and urged other well-meaning Nigerians to emulate him. He also lauded the community for its role in supporting healthcare delivery and reaffirmed government’s commitment to strengthening primary and secondary health institutions across the country.
Earlier, the Chairman of the facility, Dr Aminu Sudawa, said the community health centre was established in 2009 by 10 communities of the ward, led by Dr Shamsudeen Usman. He explained that the facility had recorded 10,000 deliveries without mortality and provided 75,000 antenatal care services in four years.
Sudawa noted that the hospital offered immunisation, delivery, family planning, minor operations, and other essential services. He commended the minister and the Federal Government for the support, adding that the consumables would go a long way in improving services at the facility.
Similarly, the Permanent Secretary of the Kano State Ministry of Health, Alhaji Aminu Bashir, commended the Federal Government for supporting the health centre and restated the state government’s commitment to improving healthcare delivery.
(NAN)