The Governorship candidate of Action Democratic Party and a Member of the House of Representatives for Kano Municipal Federal Constituency, Honourable Shaaban Sharada has assured the Nigerian Medical Association of his intentions in making Kano a centre of Medical Tourism in Africa.
The Governoship candidate made the assurance in a letter sent to the leadership of the Association, during a debate for candidates aspiring to lead Kano on how to reposition the state’s comatose health care system. It was part of the associations’ activities to mark the Physician week 2022.
In the letter, the Governoship candidate regretted his absence during the debate. However, he was represented by his running mate, Alhaji Rabiu Ahmad Bako.
Honourable Shaaban Ibrahim Sharada said he is currently in a meeting at Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh with stakeholders on how to actualize his Vision 2040 for Kano state, part of which is repositioning the state’s health care.
The ADP Governorship candidate said part of his vision is to make Kano State a hub for medical tourism in Africa. He noted that he is already working with some international hospitals and pharmaceutical companies, and other International development partners to accomplish the objective when he assumes office as Governor of Kano state come May 29 2023.
He commended Abdulnasir Hajaj, whose private hospital will be launched soon, which will surely be one of the best hospitals in Africa.
The Governorship candidate said he will partner with Nigeria Medical Association, Kano State chapter and other respected indigenous medical practitioners across the country to ensure that budgeting of adequate funds for healthcare service. He also promised to ensure full release and judicious use of the budgeted funds.
He told the NMA leadership that he will ensure satisfactory welfare of all healthcare workers, and guaranteeing that all CMOs have substantial level of independence and delegated financial authority.
“Ensuring enabling environment for essential and non-essential health workers and upgrading healthcare centers across the 484 wards in Kano State while uplifting government hospitals across the 44 Local Governments of Kano State.
I will also build three (3) new general hospitals, one (1) in each of the senatorial zones in Kano State and an ultra-modern teaching hospital and school of Nursing under Yusuf Maitama Sule University Kano.”
Sha’aban Ibrahim Sharada further said he will not relent in his effort to introduce degree programs in Nursing and hospital Management Administration in the state’s universities. He promised to construct a state of the art DNA and forensics center.
To curtail the psychiatric problem affecting members of the general public, the ADP candidate assured NMA of building a state of the art psychiatric and rehabilitation center, and upgrade existing ones.
“In reducing high rate of sickle cell anaemia I will come up with sickle cell multidisciplinary clinic. I will also restructure Health Service Management Board While at the same time revamping and modernizing the Kano Infectious Diseases Hospital.”
He also promised to procure ambulances to hospitals for timely and safe transfer of patients and other purposes.”
Honourable Shaaban Sharada added that he will partner with International hospitals such as Saudi-German for sharing of knowledge, technology and best practices, and also to support Kano based
hospitals and invite foreign ones to open branches in Kano.
He thanked the Nigeria Medical Association for organizing the debate during the 2022 Physician week and promised to deploy his experience and hard earned goodwill at the National
Assembly to influence appropriations to budget more funds for Federal Hospitals in Kano to afford better facilities and equipments for patients with diabetes, hypertension, cancer and access to cheap dialysis.
