Special features: Borno Health sector, why Zulum is in a hurry to move it to the next level

By: Bodunrin Kayode

Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno state is a man of many parts as he has displayed in his handling of ministries departments and agencies (MDA’s)
of government since inception.
One area he has displayed very empathetic and competent tendencies for his people is the health sector. From the onset this academic turned politician left no one in doubt that he was ready to turn around this critical sector battered by war to a much more service oriented one. He pays specific attention like a father who wants the facilities to be good enough for his immediate family members to receive treatments long after he has left office.

His midnight visits to General hospitals in Borno State to see who is sincerely working for the people or not is an indication that he is not ready to tolerate mediocrity for any reason. Apart from that he had already drafted a ten points agenda of which revamping of the health sector was one of the strong pillars and was going to follow it to the letter. These acts of leadership by example manifested in the very early days of his reign as Governor.

With these leadership actions by visiting hospitals were the most vulnerable receive treatments to get better, he endeared himself to many residents in the state. Some medical workers started wondering if the Professor turned politician slept at night or not. This was because most times he will show up at such wee hours to inspect the register of attendees himself and take special note of their basic challenges. Many of them who never took their call duties important started adjusting because Zulum could appear by 2 am the next morning to check him out. It was obvious a new sheriff was in town and everyone in the medical team must be serious or face the hard music for dereliction of duties.

This to many observers is a major achievement in a war torn sub national economy where the health sector was not spared by the aggressors who destroyed the entire infrastructure of at least 22 out of 27 council areas. Both the primary and secondary sub sectors were rendered useless due to lack of basic infrastructure and manpower. It was like starting all over when Zulum took over and his night visits allowed him to see things for himself and correcting same the following day or week. Many of the secondary hospitals which used to survive on touch lights were given instant solar panels and batteries to keep them out of darkness.

Consequently, before the end of his first term, Governor Zulum knew he had to hurry up to fix most of these infrastructure which were brought down so that the people will benefit from them. By the end of his first term, a lot of primary and secondary facilities had been built in areas were they were non existent before now. And within the last two years, he has set the foundation for a state teaching hospital to come on stream at least for the first set of medical students of the Borno State University (BOSU) to acquire practical experience from cadaver to real patients. The maiden board has been created for the State Teaching hospitality and the respected Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) Professor Ahmed Ahidjo was appointed the chair.

Professor Ibrahim Kida was appointed the maiden chief medical director of the facility located at the jimtilo area of greater Maiduguri. Professor Kida is a Fellow of the West African College of Physicians, Senior Registrar West African College of Physicians, and Registrar West African College of Physicians, specialising in infectious diseases and epidemiology with a special interest in HIV/AIDS management. Alongside Prof Kida, Zulum appointed Professor Usman Tela as Chairman Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC). Similarly, Ali Mohammed was appointed Director of Administration of the Hospital and Secretary to the Management Board. Other members of the management board include a representative of the Ministry of Health; a representative of the Medical College, BOŞU; representative of the Senate, Borno State University; representative of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA); representative of the Allied Health Professionals in Borno; representative of the UMTH, and a representative of the Vice Chancellor, Borno State University. Others include Abba Marte, Samson Dibal, and Dr Musa Aji, who will represent the public interest from the three senatorial districts of Borno State. A statement then by the spokesman of the Governor Dauda Ilya quoted Zulum as saying, “Our goal is to provide our people with the best possible healthcare while also training the next generation of medical professionals.” Off course, the appointment of Professor Kida as the first CMD is a landmark because this is a man who gave his all during the covid infection years. When many thought that covid was a clear death sentence and should be avoided, Kida gave his life at the UMTH to ensure that residents of the state were well and alive. He was the live wire of the state that period because many people who should have gone to the great beyond are still alive today.
Without mincing words, obviously this is the only way to set the foundation of his own man power base which has eluded the state long before the beginning of insurgency. The appointment of Profs Ahmed Ahidjo and Ibrahim Kida is one of the best decision taken by Prof Babagana Zulum.

Primary Healthcare Sub Sector

Two years into his second term, some residents spoken to by this reporter stated that they were comfortable with the new arrangements in which solar powered primary health centres are now located in their areas. Some of them called on the Governor to bring in foreign doctors to assist at this critical primary level to ease the stress on the secondary sub sector.

They however commended him for the increase in primary health centres at almost every ward of municipal (mmc) and jere council areas of greater Maiduguri. A typical example was the building of an ultramodern primary health centre in Wulari and many other areas within greater Maiduguri which has the highest population because it still houses residents who came to stay with relatives due to the lingering insurgent war and have not gone back.

To further demonstrate his seriousness in taking the primary facilities to every council area in the state, the government has established six new Primary Healthcare Centers ( PHC) at Milda (Kwaya Kusar), Diyar (Kwaya Kusar), Ngwa (Hawul), Danbitam (Bayo), BOSU and MCH Kwaya.

Complete renovation has also taken place in 44 PHC and 3 Maternal Health Centers in 14 LGAs. They include: Mbulatawiwi, Kwajjafa-harang, FSP Askira, Jaradali, Jaragol, Teli, Gumsuri, Gora, Kubo, Lakundum, Dr. Falmata Babagana Umar, Gwoza town, Benesheikh, Mainok, Furram, Hoyo, CBDA, Dalaram, Fori, Ngomari, Gongulong, Jiddari, Maimusari, Mashamari, Dalori, Njimtilo, Jakana, MCH Konduga, Mafa, Ngwom, Mala Kyariri, Abbaganram, Bulabulin, Fatima Ali Sheriff, Gamboru, Herwa Peace, Kaalmari, Mala Kachallah, Gwange I, Gamboru Main, Gwange III, Yerwa MCH, FSP Tandari and Maternal Health Centers at Magumeri, Gubio and Bama.

With these achievements due to the right leadership, simple ailments which some residents used to rush to secondary facilities like Umaru Shehu, General Hospital Biu and the state specialist hospital could now be handled easily at these primary levels.

The second most tormenting challenge the government was facing was recruiting the right human resource to maintain these facilities. Most of the doctors working to save lives were overstretched. Nurses had the non governmental organizations (NGO’s) daily dangling carrots at them to cross over. And hundreds of nurses have indeed crossed over in the last 15 years of lingering insurgency. In spite of that the Governor Professor Babagana Zulum has been encouraging them with mouth watering scholarships to enable them finish their training and start work.

To retain more doctors, special quarters like the Buba Marwa Doctor’s Quarter’s were built for them to stay. Leaving the service meant leaving the quarters. That alone was a major attraction to keep the doctors in the state service. The second attraction activated by Governor Zulum to keep the man power was the implementation of federal pay package for doctors. That was seen as a good move by observers and it has really helped to keep the doctors down in Borno.

Achievements in the secondary health sub sector

A lot has been achieved in this sub sector which needed infrastructure and man power. Some of it includes the establishment of 150 bed capacity General Hospital Damboa, completion of the reconstruction of General Hospitals in Azare (Hawul), Uba, Magumeri, Gubio and Mafa Borgu (Shani).

While waiting for the tertiary sub sector to take off fully, the specialist hospital located at the post office area of the centre of Maiduguri has been chewing a lot more than it can bite because of its strategic roles in the well being of residents of the state Capital and beyond. So as a result of this, tremendous developments has been taking place within the complex even after the flood of September 10th last year.

As part of the achievements of Governor Zulum in this specialist hospital, there is an on going construction of a 3 storey orthopedic ward for patients. Others include the consultant offices, conference room, complete renovation of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (O&G) department (including the Labour ward and Theatre), Anesthetic dept, Pharmacy, Specialist Out Patient Department (including departmental consultants’ offices), surgical wards, Accident and Emergency (A&E) and maintenance units at State Specialist Hospital.

Others include: General renovation of Theaters, 7 Bedroom staff quarters at General hospital Ngala, two theaters, and seven bedroom at General Hospital Damasak, Maternity wing, staff quarters, wards, theaters, Pharmacy and Records office at General Hospital Gwoza and off course staff quarters at General Hospital Benisheikh.

To ensure efficiency in this sub sector the government had to purchase and install power supply facilities in many general hospitals where the lingering war had caused enormous damages to these facilities. Some include the installation of 100 KVA solar power supply to the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine at the specialist hospital, 77.5 KVA generators distributed across departments and units at State Specialist Hospital, 70 KVA generator at Mamman Shuwa Memorial Hospital, 40 KVA generator each at Brigadier Abba Kyari hospital, Maryam Abatcha Women and Children Hospital, Nganzai, Ngala, Mafa, Konduga, Gwoza and
Bama General Hospitals, 75 KVA generator at Damasak and 25 KVA at Rann.

Further procurement and supply of equipment was made in the Hematology, Histopathology, Labour and Theater departments. Supply of dialysis reagents and consumables were also made to the Abdulkadir Aliyu Kidney Center in the State Specialist Hospital where dialysis is still free. During the period under review supply was made of clinical equipment, office furniture at Mamman Shuwa Memorial Hospital and procurement, installation of
manual X-ray machines at Ngala, Gwoza, Mobbar, Biu, Askira, Monguno and Rann General Hospitals.

Again to boast power supply in the absence of supplies from the grid, installation of solar power system was made at Umaru Shehu Ultra-Modern Hospital Maiduguri.
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