The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire was invited by Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno to lay the foundation of the Teaching Hospital of Borno State School of Health Sciences which the Zulum-led administration has begun its construction.
The Teaching Hospital of the Borno State University is planned for the University to eventually start the award of degree in Medicine and Surgery as well as other medical programmes.
At Zulum’s honorary request, Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, who was in Maiduguri for the commissioning of some “Landmark Projects” at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital at the instance of President Muhammad Buhari, GCFR laid the foundation stone for the Borno State University Teaching Hospital and College of Medical Sciences at Njimtilo, near the University’s campus along Maiduguri-Damaturu road.
In his address, Governor Zulum said: “In fulfillment of the criteria for the establishment of medical colleges, we are here to witness a foundation laying ceremony for the two important projects. We want to start medical courses especially medicine etc in the State University so that we can produce healthcare providers and undertake research as well; but aside academic purposes, we know that there is increasing population in Maiduguri and we have only one Teaching Hospital, and Maiduguri has population of over 3 Million inhabitants. A new Teaching Hospital will serve the increasing population, and this is also in line with our development plan. Just five days ago, we have launched our 25 year Development Plan, the State University Teaching Hospital and College of Medical Sciences are part of that plan we are implementing”, Zulum said.
The Chairman of a high powered committee for the establishment of the Borno State University Teaching Hospital/Medical College, Prof. Othman Kyari said the project flagged off was the first phase.
“This is the first phase of this Teaching Hospital; in coming up with this, we looked for the best of the best of our existing Teaching Hospitals and other Teaching Hospitals outside the country. The requirements of all the regulatory bodies (medicine and surgery, dentistry, radiology pharmacy, etc) were put into consideration, we believe that by the time this complex is completed, I think it will probably be one of the best in the country”, Kyari said.
The project is being carried out through the Ministry for Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, whose commissioner, Dr. Babagana Mustapha Malumbe, received Governor Zulum and the Health Minister on arrival at the groundbreaking ceremony. The State’s Ministry of Health and relevant government establishments are expected to play vital role as the project passes through developmental stages.