The appointment of Dr. Yakubu Ahmed Ashuku as Chief Medical Director (CMD) of Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, Lafia in 2010 will forever remain fresh in the history of the hospital and in the memory of all the men, women and children that are today reaping from his hard work and purposeful leadership. Ashuku came in as CMD with a vision which he relentlessly drove down from the top management of the hospital to the bottom line. The outcome of the pragmatic efforts of the Yakubu administration has been quite impressive and commendable, serving as a focal point to the success of the transformation agenda of Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa state, especially in the health sector.
Ashuku, a former senior lecturer at Bayero University Kano and consultant surgeon, is a great performer. His profound erudition, deep medical insight and passion to run a world class teaching hospital where provision of good health care services to the people is the major focus, saw his emergence as CMD in an exercise that he was not the candidate of any of the power brokers at that time, but his track records. His appointment remains one of the legacies of the former Governor of Nasarawa state, Aliu Akwe Doma, who used fare criteria of excellent, hard work, competence and public trust as against the well known ‘Man- know-Man syndrome as the yardstick for his appointment.
Ashuku’s success story cannot be complete without a look at how he has positively impacted lives in the state and beyond. The CMD has worked in different hospitals for over 20 years before taking the mantle of leadership as the CMD of Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, Lafia. Being a round peg in the round hole, he knows exactly what it takes to drive a world class teaching hospital in the 21st century and he wasted no time to convince the people and the Nasarawa State Government that indeed, he is an Ambassador of the Transformation Aganda of the present administration in the state.
The administration of Dr. Ashuku has provided a considerable number of beds to commiserate the high population of the town. New departments as well as women, children and emergency wards have also been established. Few months after his appointment as the CMD, he established a viable relationship with the state government who provided fund for the building of the casualty theater, expansion of the administrative block, the building of the auto model eye unit and the building of additional 7-unit of houses for doctors’ residence.
Today, the efforts of Ashuku have paid off as the hospital now boast of adequate drugs and major equipment capable of meeting the health needs of the people. Some of the projects embarked upon by this administration are capital intensive and it takes only a prudent financial manager to dare venture into such projects. Ashuku is no doubt committed to the well-being of the people. He has helped to raise the hope of many with his style of leadership. He sees everybody as equal and treats them as such, demonstrating that tribe, religion, colour or language are not considered before anyone is treated in the hospital as the management is providing health care services at a very low cost to the people.
The CMD was quick to articulate the causes of labour unrest in the hospital to be lack of staff training, idleness, corruption, etc. which have been in practice long before his coming on board. Thus, he increased his staff strength to help in providing prompt attention in all areas of call in the hospital. Doctors and nurses are being sponsored to attend special training that would aid them in meeting the day to day innovations and ideas in solving critical health problems. Ashuku is no doubt a cheerful giver.
He has helped thousands of people both young and old to achieve their purpose in life. A role model to the youth, Dr. Ashuku’s humility, integrity, forthrightness and sagacity are worthy of emulation by all and sundry.
In the words of Frank Lloyed Wright, “Success comes by continually devoting and dedicating ones time and energy to the things you believe and want to see”. For his patriotism, hard work and numerous contributions to the development of Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, Lafia, Dr. Yakubu Ahmed Ashuku has received numerous awards within and outside his state.
Oche Emmanuel,
Lafia, Nasarwa state
