Governor Babagana Umara Zulum has said that with three professors now in charge of Borno’s health sector, it is either the sector is repositioned now or never.
Zulum stated this on Friday when he received the Health Minister, Prof. Mohammed Ali Pate, at the Council Chamber of the Government House in Maiduguri.
“I told my team yesterday that this is the right time to reposition the health sector. If we cannot do it now, then we should forget about it because the Commissioner of Health (Babagana M. Mallum) is a Professor, the Chief Medical Director of the Hospitals Management Board (Bukar Kullima) is a Professor, the Coordinator of the State Primary Healthcare Agency (Mohammed Arab Alhaji) is a Professor, and above all you the Coordinating Minister of Health is also a Professor,” Zulum remarked.
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He added, “If these people (three Professors) can not make the needed repositioning in the health sector in the next three or four years, insha’Allah, honestly speaking, I don’t think we can get it right any time soon”, the governor said.
Zulum noted that his administration will ensure it provides the needed support and political will to address problems affecting the health sector. Stressing that the over decade Boko Haram crisis has destroyed over 40% health facilities across the state.
“I want to assure you that this administration is ever ready to provide the leadership and the political will to drive the health sector to the best we can offer,” he said.
The governor highlighted the gains recorded in the health sector within over four years of his administration which included construction, reconstruction and equipping of about 200 primary and post-primary health centres and provision of medical facilities and consumables, in addition to free drugs for maternal health care and children below the age of five across the state.
Zulum commended the Federal Ministry of Health and parastatals under it for their support to the government of Borno State.
“It is pertinent to acknowledge support from the Federal Ministry of Health, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, National Centre for Disease Control, NCDC and Partners. The collaboration has been very remarkable and we can only crave more support.” Zulum said.
Speaking earlier, the Minister of Health, Professor Mohammed Ali Pate, commiserated with Governor Zulum over the demise of Professor Emeritus, Umaru Shehu, who died in Maiduguri on Monday.
The minister, who was accompanied by the Executive Director of the NPHCDA, Dr Faisal Shu’aib and other officials, expressed gratitude to the governor for his support to federal Government-owned health institutions in Borno, particularly the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.
The minister’s visit at the Government House was attended by Borno’s Deputy Governor, Umar Usman Kadafur, Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno, Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan among other top government officials.
(Vanguard)
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