The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), donated medical equipment and consumables to Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Teaching Hospital (MAWTH), Yusuf Maitama Sule University, Kano, to improve health care delivery.
The JAMB registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, while presenting the items in Kano on Friday, said the donation was part of the board’s intervention in the area of health care delivery, to augment government’s efforts.
Oloyede, represented by the Director, National Headquarters Annex, Kaduna State, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdulkadir, said the COVID-19 pandemic provided the much-needed impetus for countries around the globe to break barriers and tap into available opportunities.
He said the pandemic also served as a wake-up call to the need for adequately equipped public health institutions.
“JAMB entered into a partnership with a grant agency, Project C.U.R.E., in the U.S, to equip 12 tertiary health institutions, ” he explained.
He listed some of the items donated to include; incubators, oxygen equipment, beds, ventilators, anesthetic machine, portable ultrasound machine, intensive care unit monitor, office tables and electrical bed for ICU, among others.
He said the 12 benefitting health facilities drawn from the six geopolitical zones include, Yusuf Maitama Sule University Teaching Hospital, Kano, and Federal Medical Centre, Gusau.
“JAMB decided to key into this opportunity as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility towards its fatherland, to boost capacity and improve the quality of health delivery in Nigeria.
“The donation will go a long way in meeting SDG 3 (Health and Well-being), SDG 4 (Quality Education) as well as improve public health.”
The Governor of Kano State, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, said his administration was consistent in implementing policies and programmes aimed at improving the health status of
the residents of the state.
Ganduje, represented by the Kano Commissioner for Environment, Dr Kabiru Getso, noted that the state had set up a contributory health care scheme, to ensure adequate financing of the health care sector.
“Introduction of various programmes meant to ensure adequate and regular supply of commodities to health facilities and institutions, which include MNCHC, Free Malaria Programme, Free HIV/AIDS programme, Free TB, Leprosy programme and free treatment of Neglected Tropical Diseases.
“Other initiatives include provision of drugs and other health commodities to health facilities across the 44 LGAs, Completion and equipping two mega hospitals and upgrading Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital Kano, to a world class facility,” he said.
He commended the board for the donation and urged the management of MAWTH to ensure judicious use of the equipment donated.
Also speaking, the Vice Chancellor, Yusuf Maitama Sule University Kano, Prof. Mukhtar Atiku-Kurawa, noted that the state government had started the construction of two faculty buildings, as well as many other projects and programmes.
“Gov. Ganduje had signed into law the bill, which establishes Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Teaching Hospital, for the University’s MBBS programme to thrive.
Atiku-Kurawa commended the board for the kind gesture.
(NAN)
