Ilorin, May 1, 2023 President Muhammadu Buhari is leaving a legacy of quality health care system with one million Nigerians under its health insurance coverage.
Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture, said this while inaugurating an 80-bed mother and child hospital in Oro in Irepodun Local Government area of Kwara State.
He said the new hospital was equipped with the state-of-the art facilities and designed to promote the heath of mothers and children “in line with PMB’s administration’s commitment to providing health facilities to cater for the needs for Nigerians.
The minister said a basic health care provision fund was being introduced to provide health care to poor and indigent Nigerians through the universal health coverage programme of the Buhari’s administration.
“We will ensure availability of basic minimum package of health services. This will ensure that at least 100,000,000 Nigerians will have health insurance coverage through public and private sources.
“The federal government is partnering with the AFREXIM Bank to host the regional centre for health excellence in Abuja. The groundbreaking has been done and the super hospital will be managed by the King’s College Hospital, London.
“The administration’s response to health emergencies has remained unprecedented particularly how we were able to contain the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.”
“Worthy of note is that under this administration, Nigeria has been certified Wild Polio Free,” he said
On how Kwara had benefitted from the federal government’s health projects, Mohammed said no fewer than three of such hospitals and the facilities had been executed by the SDGs office in the state.
He said another 100-bed hospital equipped with state-of-the-art facilities had been inaugurated in Eiyenkorin in Asa Local Government Area to reduce maternal death, infant and neo-natal deaths.
The minister said the 80-bed hospital being inaugurated in Oro was equally equipped to promote the heath of mothers and children.
“It has a theatre, incubators, ventilators, phototherapy machines, patient monitor, children’s beds, examination beds, 100kva generator, furnished and lit with solar street lights.
“This development is in line with PMB’s administration commitment to providing health facilities to cater for the needs of Nigerians.
“I am told that the SDGs Office commissioned over 35 of the 100 bed hospitals spread across the country.
“It also commissioned twenty 80-bed hospitals and numerous primary health centers across the country,” he said.
Mohammed commended the SDGs Office for the giant strides it has recorded in the provision of social services across the country particularly in remote places. The minister appreciated the President for his numerous support to Kwara, particularly his community.
“Recall that some weeks ago, we were here to perform the groundbreaking for the construction of a power transmission sub-station.
“The network of roads constructed in Oro is also a testament of Mr President footprints in this community.
“I will urge you to continue to support the government to succeed and also to take advantage of the health facility to promote the health and well-being of mothers and children,” he said.
AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq,the Kwara State Governor, said history would not forget Buhari’s giant strides in health sector and infrastructure development across the country.
Represented by his Commissioner for Health, Dr Raji Razaq, the governor thanked the minister for facilitating the projects and the SDG’s office for executing them.
Adejoke Adefulire, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDG, urged the residents to take possession of the hospital.
She also urged women in the community and environ to put them to use, saying that the hospitals were equipped with modern facility not only for women and children, but also for men.Adefulire reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to delivering quality health care services to the citizens. (GBN)
