The primary purpose of government is to ensure the security of lives and property of the people. This constitutional responsibility includes guaranteeing the wellbeing of the populace through a robust healthcare sector with adequate state-of-the-art infrastructure and other necessary logistics and manpower.
It is in regard and based on the aphorism that health is wealth that Governor Mai Mala Buni has prioritised healthcare delivery in his state of Yobe; and the state has reaped enormous benefits from this policy.
Buni’s exceptional commitment and competence are glaringly expressed in his administration’s execution and implementation of spectacular projects and programmes in the health sector of the state.
Gigantic structures to cater for vital sections of healthcare services in the state’s tertiary healthcare institutions; and the construction of over 100 general hospitals flowering across the local governments areas of the state, are all expressive of the Buni administration’s exemplary efforts at improving and sustaining quality healthcare delivery across the once insurgency-troubled state.
Governor Buni’s world class healthcare infrastructure includes the construction of 138 Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs) across the 17 local government areas of Yobe state; construction of 350-bed Maternal and Childcare Centre at Yobe State University Teaching Hospital (YSUTH) Damaturu; construction of 80 medical stores in the state’s PHCs; construction of Special Baby Care Units in Gashua and Potiskum; and the construction of medical officers’ quarters in YSUTH.
The Buni administration has scored Alpha for the construction of 150 bed medical student’s hostel at Yobe State University Teaching Hospital, Damaturu; construction and upgrading of molecular labs in Damaturu; upgrading of primary health care centres to General Hospitals in Machina, Yusufari and Gulani; construction of diagnostic centre in YSUTH Damaturu; construction of new lecture theatres, hostels, classes, road network and drainages at the College of Nursing Damaturu; and the construction of lecture theatres at YSUTH, Damaturu.
His administration’s procurement and deployment of vehicles and tricycles to deliver ambulance services within city limits and Hard-to-Reach (HTR) settlements have endeared Governor Buni to Yobeans, who have always been desirous of easy access to healthcare facilities, irrespective of the remoteness of their abodes.
Governor Buni’s passion for quality healthcare delivery and his empathy for medical workers, in whose welfare he has heavily invested resources, would make you think that he is, himself, a medical practitioner.
The doubling of the allowances of medical workers and the construction of houses for them, especially those working with the state’s tertiary healthcare institutions, are all expressive of the governor’s resolve to leave nothing to chance towards the provision of quality healthcare for his people.
The Buni administration has also doubled the allowances of medical students.
In consideration of the fact that infrastructure without manpower amounts to efforts in futility, the governor has employed over 240 graduands of the College of Nursing and Midwifery who have since been deployed to man the new facilities.
In the service delivery front, a growing fleet of standard ambulances as well as 80 tricycles have been provided to handle ambulance services within city limits and in Hard-to-Reach areas. Also, medical outreaches have been commissioned to bring succour in the form of free medicare and drugs to nursing mothers, children, the aged and accident victims.
To ensure that everyone gets access to safe and affordable healthcare services, Governor Buni has seen to the establishment and operation of the Yobe State Contributory Health Agency.
Also established by Governor Buni is the Yobe State Drug and Medical Consumables Management Agency, which mandate is to ensure the sufficiency, efficiency and transparency in the management of the state’s drugs stock for the benefit of everyone.
Governor Mai Mala Buni has, indeed, inscribed his name in gold in the eternal pages of history for transforming the healthcare sector in Yobe state from a most-pathetic to world class to ensure quality healthcare delivery to his people.
Ibrahim writes from Kaduna
