Wada: Breaking new grounds with KSU Teaching Hospital

The penchant desire of the Capt Wada's administration to better the lives of people through better health and other key areas necessary for good living and development as encapsulated in the governor's transformation agenda, remains an area the present administration need to be commended.

It is important to state that the joy of the people of Kogi State knew no bound, at the recent foundation laying stone ceremony of the permanent site of the Kogi State University Teaching Hospital,in  Anyigba.

It was under the administration of Capt Idris Wada, Governor of Kogi State, that the Kogi State University, Anyigba was given approval to establish a Medical School by the National Universities Commission. Following a resource verification in September 2012, and subsequent admission of the first set of medical students in the same year, the political will of the governor set in motion the process for establishing a permanent site for the Teaching Hospital.

The Kogi State University Teaching Hospital Anyigba is envisaged as a premier referral and research hospital with the latest cutting edge technology, is indeed a project of the Wada's administration which like several other of his outstanding projects has significant bearing on the lives of the people.
Since his assumption of office as governor, Capt Idris Wada has not only put in place quick fix interventions aimed at addressing the immediate challenges in the health sector of the state, efforts has also been made by his administration in simultaneously addressing perennial problems of health care delivery system across primary, secondary and tertiary levels in the system in the state.

The on going Teaching Hospital Building is a two floor building (ground and first floor). The building of the institution which is to be completed in two phases, is broken into phase 1( entire building up to roofing stage with the internal finishing of ground floor completed and technical building), while phase 2 is the furnishing of the first floor as well as equipping.

The Kogi State University Teaching Hospital Anyigba when completed is a 250 bed hospital comprising the major clinical areas of Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology. Others are Dentistry, Pathology, Sub Specialty areas, Bulk Store and Administration.

The Hospital when completed will have amongst others, five state of the art operating theatre's ( 2 dedicated to obstetrics and gynecology), intensive care unit,  special baby care unit, state of the art Radiology and Diagnostic Services and a Central Medical Gas Plant with Oxygen manifold and Medical Gas Piping to all central areas.

Medical students are to undertake courses in Internal Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology in the institution. Other areas for study include Laboratory Medicine, Community Medicine among other areas.

The contract for the construction of Kogi State University Teaching Hospital Anyigba phase 1 was awarded to TEC Engineering Company Limited at the contract sum of One Billion, Seven Hundred and Three Million, eight thousand,five hundred and Seventy seven naira, five kobo, has a completion time of 12 months.

It is important to state that  mandatory for a medical school is a full complement of an associated Teaching Hospital, little wonder the Kogi State House of Assembly approved through a bill, the conversion of the former Kogi State Diagnostic and Reference Hospital Anyigba and renamed it as the Kogi State University Teaching Hospital Anyigba in february 2013.

Also as part of the processes to establish the Kogi State University Teaching Hospital Anyigba, the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, a regulatory body of medical education and training in June 2013 paid an advisory visit to the faculty of Medicine, while processes for the operationalization of the Teaching Hospital was set up by government as well as the appointment of Prof Edino Stephen in April, 2014 as the hospital's Chief Medical Director.

The historic and momentous foundation laying of the Kogi State University Teaching Hospital Anyigba by Capt Wada amidst a mammoth crowd is therefore another affirmation of his administration's commitment to the growth of the State University and the health needs of citizens of the state.

Aside the adequate funding the present administration has given and sustained to the state university, it has amongst others also built a male and female hostels in the university to ameliorate the accommodation needs of students.

The establishment of the Kogi State University Teaching Hospital Anyigba and the subsequent foundation laying of the institution's permanent site, which according to the governor would serve as a requisite training ground for pre-clinical students, health professionals, new areas of research by tertiary health institutions in the state, would amongst other numerous benefits address the tertiary health needs of citizens of the state.

The on- going massive imposing health institution when completed is a multi-billion naira health care facilities that is to be located on a 100 hectares of land, would also further provide unhindered access for research and medicare for nigerian's in general.

The joy that greeted the ground breaking ceremony of the Kogi State University Hospital, Anyigba, therefore underscores the institution's importance and is no doubt another efforts of the Gov Idris Wada's administration at breaking new grounds, amidst scarce resources and all for the benefits of the people. This is a feat the governor has come to be associated with.

This piece Is a written by Abu Micheal, Chief Press Secretary to Kogi State Deputy Governor