By Ahmed Rufa’i, Dutse
The Jigawa State Government has announced plans to spend over N12.5 billion on providing free dialysis services and treatment for non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and sickle cell disease.
The significant investment is part of Governor Malam Umar Namadi’s efforts to improve healthcare accessibility and quality across the state.
The state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abdullahi Kainuwa, made the disclosure during the opening of a three-day training session on health monitoring for Senior Special Assistants (SSAs) and Special Assistants (SAs) to the governor. According to Dr. Kainuwa, the funds will also be directed towards constructing, expanding, and renovating healthcare facilities at both primary and secondary levels in all 27 local government areas and 287 political wards in Jigawa.
Dr. Kainuwa highlighted that the government is committed to providing 24-hour healthcare services across the state. This will involve building staff quarters, ensuring constant water supply, providing uninterrupted power through solar energy, and modernizing sanitation facilities in all hospitals.
“This initiative is a key part of the Namadi administration’s 12-point agenda, which aims to improve the lives of citizens through efficient healthcare services,” said Dr. Kainuwa. “We are targeting over 143,500 beneficiaries for our Basic Healthcare Service Scheme, focusing on the most vulnerable populations in Jigawa.”
The Commissioner also noted that the state government is establishing dialysis centers in each of the five emirates. Centers in Hadejia, Gumel, and Dutse are already completed, while work is ongoing in Kazaure and Ringim.
In addition to the healthcare infrastructure, the government has allocated N3.4 billion for the construction of staff quarters at 37 Primary Health Care hospitals. Seven of these projects have been completed, with the remaining 30 nearing completion. Furthermore, contracts worth N9 billion will soon be awarded for the construction of housing for doctors, nurses, and midwives, all powered by solar energy to promote sustainability.
Dr. Kainuwa also announced the recruitment of 1,924 healthcare workers to support the state’s growing medical workforce, complementing the over 1,000 workers hired earlier this year. The state’s nursing and midwifery institutions are fully accredited and are expected to produce 720 graduates annually to meet the increasing demand for skilled healthcare professionals.
Mr. Isah Surajo, Technical Adviser to the governor on Healthcare, emphasized the importance of the training, which aims to equip SSAs and SAs with the skills needed to monitor and oversee healthcare services in their respective areas. He stated that their role would be to track resource utilization, report issues to relevant authorities, and ensure that community grievances are addressed promptly.
“The training is designed to provide participants with a deep understanding of health policies and operations, ensuring they can effectively monitor and improve healthcare delivery across the state,” said Surajo.