ABUJA – Alhaji Kabiru Turaki, Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, has called on public spirited individuals to contribute to the development of Federal Medical Centre in Kebbi.
Turaki made the call when members of the management board of the centre paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja on Tuesday.
“There is need for conscious effort by the government and other public spirited individuals to support this project because government cannot do everything alone.
“Other public spirited individuals should assist and contribute through a conscious partnership to assist you to deliver on your mandate both as a board and as management of the centre.
“I want us to develop a strong partnership that will see us reaching out to some wealthy individuals in the state on the need to come to the aid of the centre.
“This is to assist in the speedy realisation of this noble project as government cannot do everything for us.”
He said there was need to impact positively on every sector of human endeavour particularly the health sector which touches on life.
This is imperative because a healthy nation is a wealthy nation.”
On the abandoned maternity centre, Turaki assured the board that he would find out which member of the National Assembly won the contract and why it was abandoned. [eap_ad_2] “We will liaise with the member concerned and we will ensure that the projected is funded in the next appropriation.”
He said the construction of the trauma centre, administrative block, store and standard pharmacy requested by the board would be looked into in the next budget.
The minister commended the management and members of staff of the centre for striving to meet the needs of the people.
He said that the centre would be upgraded.
Earlier, Chairman of the Board, Amb. Dare Bejide, said their main target was to reduce maternal mortality rate in the state.
“Maternal mortality rate is quite alarming and one of the important things that we need urgently is the maternity complex.
“We have one ongoing since 2012 which is supposed to be a constituency project by members of National Assembly but abandoned.”
He said the maternity complex was an important project that needed to be completed, adding that the area had the worst maternal mortality index in the country.
Bejide said bed space had been a problem and that the centre was the only referral centre in the area as people from neigbouring states and border towns use the centre.
The chairman said the hospital needed computerised thermograph machine, standard pharmacy and a trauma centre among others. (NAN)[eap_ad_3]
