Vice-President Kashim Shettima, on Friday, inaugurated a teaching hospital and two schools in Maiduguri, describing investments in healthcare and education as critical to Borno’s recovery.
Mr Shettima said the ultra-modern Kashim Ibrahim University Teaching Hospital (KIUTH) would bring specialised tertiary healthcare closer to communities, reducing the burden of travelling outside the state for treatment.
“For a family already burdened by illness, the cost and anxiety of travelling outside the state can compound their suffering.
“This hospital offers the prospect of expert attention nearer home,” he said.
He said the hospital would also train healthcare professionals and support medical research, strengthening healthcare delivery for future generations.
Mr Shettima said the schools inaugurated alongside the hospital would expand educational opportunities and help children build better futures.
“In a state whose communities have endured the disruption of insurgency, a classroom carries a particular significance.
“It restores the expectation that tomorrow can be planned for,” he said.
He said education could help children affected by displacement envision careers as doctors, teachers and engineers serving their communities.
“These investments in health and education will give our recovery the human strength it requires,” he said.
Mr Shettima commended Governor Babagana Zulum for establishing the hospital, describing his commitment to healthcare and education as evidence of his determination to rebuild Borno.
“To improve lives and livelihoods in a state that has withstood such a climate of insecurity demands uncommon fortitude,” he said.
He said his experience of pursuing development amid insecurity enabled him to appreciate Mr Zulum’s determination.
“I know what it means to pursue development while confronting threats to the very people it must serve,” he said.
Earlier, Mr Zulum described the hospital as a major expression of his administration’s commitment to providing modern healthcare facilities for Borno residents.
He said the institution was more than a building, describing it as a centre for learning and specialised medical services for millions across the North-East.
Mr Zulum said the hospital would serve as a clinical training centre for the College of Health Sciences at Kashim Ibrahim University.
He added that it would train medical students, resident doctors, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, medical laboratory scientists, physiotherapists and other healthcare professionals.
The governor assured residents that his administration would continue investing in the hospital through recruitment, the provision of equipment and improved infrastructure.
“We have recruited and we will continue to recruit qualified health professionals,” he said.
He called on national and international partners to support the institution with equipment, technical expertise, exchange programmes and capacity-building initiatives.
Mr Zulum urged the hospital’s management to uphold transparency, discipline and accountability in running the institution.
Mohamed Indimi, Pro-Chancellor and chairman of the governing council of Kashim Ibrahim University, described the inauguration as a significant milestone in healthcare delivery.
Mr Indimi expressed confidence that the hospital would strengthen medical services and improve the wellbeing of people across the North-East.
He commended Mr Zulum, the hospital’s management board and other stakeholders for their contributions to the project.
The philanthropist urged the management to maintain high standards of professionalism, compassion and excellence.
Ahmed Ahidjo, chairman of the hospital’s Governing Board, described the facility as a landmark project for Borno.
Mr Ahidjo praised Mr Shettima for supporting Mr Zulum’s emergence as governor and commended the governor for establishing and equipping the hospital.
He attributed the achievement to the appointment of qualified people and the assembly of a competent team to deliver the project.
The hospital’s Chief Medical Director, Ibrahim Kida, said its success would depend not only on its buildings and equipment but also on its workforce.
“The greatness of the hospital is not determined by its buildings or equipment alone, but by its manpower and committed staff,” he said.
Mr Kida acknowledged Mr Shettima’s contributions to Borno’s development and his continued concern for the state’s peace and progress.
Meanwhile, Fatima Kyari, Registrar and chief executive officer of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, pledged support for the accreditation of relevant medical science courses.
Ms Kyari said the availability of clinical hostels indicated the university’s readiness to accommodate students for clinical training.
She added that the council would work towards accrediting the hospital as a training institution for house officers.
Mr Shettima earlier inaugurated the remodelled Yerwa Central Primary and Junior Secondary School in Maiduguri and the Kashim Shettima Free Education Academy.
(NAN)
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