FG Promises Continuous Empowerment of Health Institutions As Salako Commissions 16 Projects at Federal Neuropsychiatry Hospital Sokoto
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, on Wednesday commissioned sixteen completed projects at the Federal Neuropsychiatry Hospital Kware, Sokoto. He said this is in line with the strategic vision of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR to continuously empower Federal Tertiary Health Institutions with all they require; physical infrastructure, human resources, better funding and other support so that these hospitals can better serve Nigerians.
A Molecular Laboratory, Intensive Care Unit, Regional Women and Children Drug Dependency Treatment Centre, Accident and Emergency Centre, Multipurpose Students Hostel, School of Post Basic Nursing (Psychiatry), alternative power supply are among the projects commissioned by the Minister . He said the projects without any doubt will positively impact care and results in better outcomes for patient who visit this hospital.
“Built up to the 2 years anniversary of the Tinubu/Shettima administration, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare strategically decided to showcase a few key infrastructural upgrade and modernization being implemented in our Federal Tertiary Health Institutions across the country. I am happy to announce that with my presence in Kware today, 4 geopolitical zones have been covered with over 50 key projects cutting across direct clinical services, administration, works, power supply, training, security and other ancillary services commissioned. This is off course a tip of the iceberg as in about 2 years, the Federal Government of Nigeria has completed or provided more than 500 key infrastructural projects and advance modern equipments to various Federal Tertiary Health Institutions across the country.
“We recognise that physical infrastructure alone can not provide healthcare, and have therefore also instituted a robust employment mechanism leading to the employment of over 15,000 health workers in about a year. We are also providing continuous professional development training for our health workers and through the Nigeria Digital in Health Initiative increasing the digitization of service provision to increase efficiency, transparency, quality of care and stewardship.”
He said the Federal Government is determined to solve the power problem in the health sector.
“To address the challenge of power in our health institutions, government is implementing an alternative power mechanism to take advantage of renewable sources of energy like solar and later this year, we are convening a National Dialogue on Power in the Health Sector to better framework the deployment of alternative power and drive more investment to power our health sector. Government has approved a Social Action Fund to empower 109 communities across the country to implement community owned health promoting projects as a strategy to address some of the social determinants of health. We are also in the process of implementing The Renewed Hope Health Connect, an interventional fully funded healthcare services targeting 1million vulnerable Nigerians with medical, surgical, opthalmological and audiology care.”
Salako added that mental health is being given its deserved attention by the government. “The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has already started the implementation of the Nigerian National Mental Health Act, 2023 with the creation of a mental health desk in the ministry and is working towards the creation of a full department. We are integrating mental healthcare into primary health care services and also working to decriminalised suicide, eliminate stigmatisation and regulate involuntary seclusion.”
He said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR under the Renewed Hope Agenda is committed to transforming the healthcare system in Nigeria to be efficient, effective, accessible, affordable, people centred, qualitative and timely.
“I am happy to report that the President is providing the needed policy, funding and enabling environment to the health sector in order to achieve the ultimate vision of Nigeria becoming a continental hub for healthcare services with our health care index being among the top 50 in the world within a decade. I call on all our healthcare professionals in the private and public sectors to key into this vision and contribute their quota in safeguarding the health of Nigerians.
“I wish to reiterate that the Federal Neuropsychiatry Hospital, Kware -Sokoto is strategic to the agenda of government to improve the mental and general health status of Nigerians. Let me therefore assure the management, staff and all stakeholders that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare will continue to provide all necessary support for the hospital to continue to serve Nigerians especially people of Sokoto State. I wish to appeal to all staff and all users of services in this hospital to see the newly commissioned facilities and the old ones as theirs and ensure that it is used with care and adequately maintained for lo g lasting optimal performance”, the minister concluded.
