FMC Bida setting new standards in health service delivery?

MUSA UMAR BOLOGI, in this report, examines how the board and management of the Federal Medical Centre, Bida, Niger state, a 21-year-old health institution, is repositioning it to become one of most efficient health service institutions in the country
The Board of Management of Federal Medical Centre, Bida, was inaugurated on March 6, 2018, by the Honourable Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole.
The Board came into being at a time that many Nigerians, especially the All Progressives Congress (APC) faithful were clamouring for the composition of the Boards of government parastatal and agencies to create opportunities for them to be part of government and to reap some rewards for supporting the party to victory.
What appeared to be a delayed composition turned out to be a huge blessing for one of ‘centres of excellence’ in health service delivery in the country, the Federal Medical Centre, Bida, by the quality and high calibre of people who made the Board’s list.
No sooner had the Board was inaugurated than the chairman, Is’haq Usman Sarkin Shanun Jere, set out for the brass task of providing committed and transparent leadership to the 13-member Board with a view to transforming the 21-year-old federal tertiary hospital established in Niger state into one of the best health service centres in the country.
The Board was determined to maintain peace with the Management of the hospital to achieve its mandate of appropriate policy guidance and supervision on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Health.
Another priority of the board was to eradicate industrial unrest in the hospital; hence it has embarked on vigorous engagement and dialogue with all the unions and associations in the hospital to create a conducive atmosphere for mutual understanding and harmonious relationship between the Management the health workers, which are critical elements for effective health service delivery.
Then came the need for engaging and mobilising the community stakeholders to join hands with the federal government to develop the Centre.
In this regard, the Board has established cordial relationship with the traditional institution in Niger state, through the Etsu Nupe HRH, Alhaji (Dr.) Yahaya Abubakar CFR, who is also the Chairman Niger state Council of Traditional Rulers.
It has also established rapport with the state government, with which the Centre has a flourishing collaboration, for the management of health services at two outposts – the Comprehensive Health Centre, Zungeru and Family Medical Practice Centre, Gawu Babangida.
Indeed, the outpost at Gawu Babangida is one of the few Centres accredited by the Family Medicine Faculty of the National Postgraduate Medical College for the training of resident doctors in family medicine.
Jere has, at every opportunity, reiterated that the Board is determined to leave the Federal Medical Centre, Bida, better than it met it.
Hence, he is leaving no stone unturned in mobilising community stakeholders to support and assist the Centre in developing the permanent site of the hospital as well as the existing infrastructure at the present site of the hospital established in 1938 as a colonial health facility.
That effort is already yielding results as the Executive Governor of Niger state, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, pledged, during the Board’s courtesy visit to Government House Minna, to rehabilitate the Centre’s Oxygen Plant, donate utility vehicle and construct one building at the permanent site.
It was against the foregoing feats achieved by the Board within such a short time that the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, commended the Board for its commitment and foresight in taking measures to check incessant strikes in the hospital.
During the Board’s visit to the Minister, he observed that incessant industrial actions in the sector have retarded growth of health sector.
He noted that the federal government is open to viable PublicPrivate-Partnership initiatives that would accelerate qualitative healthcare delivery to Nigerians.
The Minister applauded the Medical Director of Federal Medical Centre, Bida, Dr.
Mohammed Aminu Usman, for his creativity in managing the Centre effectively “even in the face of scarce financial resources.” The chairman of the Board used the opportunity of the visit to appeal for more financial intervention for the Centre to enable it acquire additional specialised medical equipment in line with the aspirations of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.