Borno State Health Sector: A Review of Progress Made by the Government in the Past Year

By Bodunrin Kayode

Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State has showcased his multifaceted leadership capabilities since taking office, particularly in managing the ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) of the government. One area where he has demonstrated empathy and competence is the health sector.

From the beginning, this academic-turned-politician has made it clear that he aims to transform this critical sector, which has suffered due to ongoing conflict, into a more service-oriented system. He approaches the health facilities with the care of a father who wants them to be adequate for his family long after he’s left office.

His midnight visits to General hospitals in Borno State to see who is sincerely working for the people or not is an indication that he is not ready to tolerate mediocrity for any reason. Apart from that he had already drafted a ten-point agenda of which revamping the health sector was one of the strong pillars and was going to follow it to the letter. These acts of leadership by example manifested in the very early days of his reign as Governor.

With these leadership actions by visiting hospitals where the most vulnerable receive treatments to get better, he endeared himself to many residents in the state. Some medical workers started wondering if the Professor turned politician slept at night or not. This was because most times he would show up at such wee hours to inspect the register of attendees himself and take special note of their basic challenges. Many of them who never took their call duties started adjusting because Zulum could appear by 2 am the next morning to check him out. It was obvious a new sheriff was in town and everyone in the medical team must be serious or face the hard music for dereliction of duties.

This to many observers is a major achievement in a war-torn sub-national economy where the health sector was not spared by the aggressors who destroyed the entire infrastructure of at least 22 out of 27 council areas. Both the primary and secondary sub-sectors were rendered useless due to lack of basic infrastructure and manpower. It was like starting all over when Zulum took over and his night visits allowed him to see things for himself and correct same the following day or week. Many of the secondary hospitals which used to survive on touch lights were given instant solar panels and batteries to keep them out of the darkness.

Consequently, before the end of his first term, Governor Zulum knew he had to hurry up to fix most of the infrastructure which was brought down so that the people would benefit from it. By the end of his first term, a lot of primary and secondary facilities had been built in areas where they were non-existent before now. And within the last two years, he has set the foundation for a state teaching hospital to come onstream at least for the first set of medical students of the Borno State University (BOSU) to acquire practical experience from cadavers to real patients. The maiden board has been created for the State Teaching hospitality and the respected Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) Professor Ahmed Ahidjo was appointed the chair.

Professor Ibrahim Kida was appointed the maiden chief medical director of the facility located in the Jimtilo area of greater Maiduguri. Professor Kida is a Fellow of the West African College of Physicians, Senior Registrar West African College of Physicians, and Registrar West African College of Physicians, specialising in infectious diseases and epidemiology with a special interest in HIV/AIDS management. Alongside Prof Kida, Zulum appointed Professor Usman Tela as Chairman Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC).

Similarly, Ali Mohammed was appointed Director of Administration of the Hospital and Secretary to the Management Board. Other members of the management board include a representative of the Ministry of Health; a representative of the Medical College, BOŞU; a representative of the Senate, Borno State University; a representative of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA); a representative of the Allied Health Professionals in Borno; representative of the UMTH, and a representative of the Vice Chancellor, Borno State University. Others include Abba Marte, Samson Dibal, and Dr Musa Aji, who will represent the public interest from the three senatorial districts of Borno State.

A statement then by the spokesman of Governor Dauda Ilya quoted Zulum as saying, “Our goal is to provide our people with the best possible healthcare while also training the next generation of medical professionals.” Of course, the appointment of Professor Kida as the first CMD is a landmark because this is a man who gave his all during the covid infection years. When many thought that COVID was a clear death sentence and should be avoided, Kida gave his life at the UMTH to ensure that residents of the state were well and alive. He was the live wire of the state during that period because many people who should have gone to the great beyond are still alive today.

Without mincing words, obviously, this is the only way to set the foundation of his manpower base which has eluded the state long before the beginning of insurgency. The appointment of Profs Ahmed Ahidjo and Ibrahim Kida is one of the best decisions taken by Prof Babagana Zulum.

Primary Healthcare Sub-Sector

Two years into his second term, some residents spoken to by this reporter stated that they were comfortable with the new arrangements in which solar-powered primary health centres are now located in their areas. Some of them called on the Governor to bring in foreign doctors to assist at this critical primary level to ease the stress on the secondary sub-sector.

They however commended him for the increase in primary health centres at almost every ward of municipal (MMC) and Jere council areas of greater Maiduguri. A typical example was the building of an ultramodern primary health centre in Wulari and many other areas within greater Maiduguri which has the highest population because it still houses residents who came to stay with relatives due to the lingering insurgent war and have not gone back.

To further demonstrate his seriousness in taking the primary facilities to every council area in the state, the government has established six new Primary Healthcare Centers (PHC) at Milda (Kwaya Kusar), Diyar (Kwaya Kusar), Ngwa (Hawul), Danbitam (Bayo), BOSU and MCH Kwaya.

A complete renovation has also taken place in 44 PHCs and 3 Maternal Health Centers in 14 LGAs. They include: Mbulatawiwi, Kwajjafa-harang, FSP Askira, Jaradali, Jaragol, Teli, Gumsuri, Gora, Kubo, Lakundum, Dr. Falmata Babagana Umar, Gwoza town,  Benesheikh, Mainok, Furram, Hoyo, CBDA, Dalaram, Fori, Ngomari, Gongulong, Jiddari, Maimusari, Mashamari, Dalori, Njimtilo, Jakana, MCH Konduga, Mafa, Ngwom, Mala Kyariri, Abbaganram, Bulabulin, Fatima Ali Sheriff, Gamboru, Herwa Peace, Kaalmari, Mala Kachallah, Gwange I, Gamboru Main, Gwange III, Yerwa MCH, FSP Tandari and Maternal Health Centers at Magumeri, Gubio and Bama.

With these achievements due to the right leadership, simple ailments which some residents used to rush to secondary facilities like Umaru Shehu, General Hospital Biu and the state specialist hospital could now be handled easily at these primary levels.

The second most tormenting challenge the government was facing was recruiting the right human resources to maintain these facilities. Most of the doctors working to save lives were overstretched. Nurses had the non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) daily dangling carrots at them to cross over. Hundreds of nurses have indeed crossed over in the last 15 years of lingering insurgency. Despite that, the Governor Professor Babagana Zulum has been encouraging them with mouth-watering scholarships to enable them to finish their training and start work.

To retain more doctors, special quarters like the Buba Marwa Doctor’s Quarters were built for them to stay. Leaving the service meant leaving the quarters. That alone was a major attraction to keep the doctors in the state service. The second attraction activated by Governor Zulum to keep the manpower was the implementation of a federal pay package for doctors. That was seen as a good move by observers and it has helped to keep the doctors down in Borno.

Strides in the secondary health sub-sector

A lot has been achieved in this sub-sector which needed infrastructure and manpower. Some of it includes the establishment of a 150-bed capacity General Hospital Damboa and, the completion of the reconstruction of General Hospitals in Azare (Hawul), Uba, Magumeri, Gubio and Mafa Borgu (Shani).

While waiting for the tertiary sub-sector to take off fully, the specialist hospital located at the post office area of the centre of Maiduguri has been chewing a lot more than it can bite because of its strategic roles in the well-being of residents of the state Capital and beyond. So as a result of this, tremendous developments have been taking place within the complex even after the flood of September 10th last year.

As part of the achievements of Governor Zulum in this specialist hospital, there is an ongoing construction of a 3-storey orthopaedic ward for patients. Others include the consultant offices, conference room, complete renovation of the Obstetrics and Gynaecology (O&G) department (including the Labour ward and Theatre), Anaesthetic dept, Pharmacy, Specialist Out Patient Department (including departmental consultants’ offices), surgical wards, Accident and Emergency (A&E) and maintenance units at State Specialist Hospital.

Others include the general renovation of Theatres, 7 Bedroom staff quarters at General Hospital Ngala, two theatres, and seven bedrooms at General Hospital Damasak, Maternity wing, staff quarters, wards, theatres, Pharmacy and Records office at General Hospital Gwoza and course staff quarters at General Hospital Benisheikh.

To ensure efficiency in this sub-sector, the government had to purchase and install power supply facilities in many general hospitals where the lingering war had caused enormous damage to these facilities.  Some include the installation of a 100 KVA solar power supply to the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine at the specialist hospital, 77.5 KVA generators distributed across departments and units at State Specialist Hospital, 70 KVA generator at Mamman Shuwa Memorial Hospital, 40 KVA generator each at Brigadier Abba Kyari hospital, Maryam Abacha Women and Children Hospital, Nganzai, Ngala, Mafa, Konduga, Gwoza and Bama General Hospitals, 75 KVA generator at Damasak and 25 KVA at Rann.

Further procurement and supply of equipment was made in the Hematology, Histopathology, Labour and Theater departments. Supply of dialysis reagents and consumables was also made to the Abdulkadir Aliyu Kidney Center in the State Specialist Hospital where dialysis is still free. During the period under review, supply was made of clinical equipment, and office furniture at Mamman Shuwa Memorial Hospital and procurement, and installation of

manual X-ray machines at Ngala, Gwoza, Mobbar, Biu, Askira, Monguno and Rann General Hospitals.

Again, to boast power supply in the absence of supplies from the grid, the installation of a solar power system was made at Umaru Shehu Ultra-Modern Hospital Maiduguri.

Finally, in spite of the lingering insecurity in the state, the state emergency operation department has refused to be silent. The year under review has witnessed a lot of back and forth in terms of emergencies such as cholera and polio. But the entire team of epidemiologists have been doing their best with the support of the commissioner of health Professor Baba Mallam Gana to nip each challenge in the bud as it comes. All hands have been on deck to ensure that mortality rates from all emergencies within the year under review are reduced to the minimum.

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