The Kaduna State Government announces its 300-bed Specialist Hospital in Millennium City is nearly ready. Anticipate Kaduna specialist hospital commissioning soon
The Kaduna State Government has announced that the long-awaited 300-bed Specialist Hospital located in Millennium City, Chikun Local Government Area, is on the verge of being commissioned.
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Hajiya Umma Ahmed, the State Commissioner of Health, revealed this development during a Ministerial Press Briefing held at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House in Kaduna on Friday.
The multi-million dollar healthcare project, initially conceived by former Vice President Namadi Sambo, has benefited from $148 million in funding from the Islamic Development Bank.
Despite sustained efforts by successive administrations, including those led by the late Patrick Yakowa, Mukhtar Ramallan Yero, and Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai, the comprehensive medical facility remained incomplete until now.
According to Commissioner Ahmed, the state-of-the-art hospital will feature a crucial oncology unit dedicated to the research, diagnosis, and treatment of various cancers.
The facility is envisioned to provide extensive healthcare services to the residents of Kaduna State and potentially patients from across Nigeria.
She confirmed that all civil construction work on the hospital has been completed, and a significant 85% of the necessary medical equipment has already been installed, paving the way for its imminent commissioning.
“The hospital will provide specialised care nationwide and has the potential of stemming medical tourism when completed,” Hajiya Ahmed stated.
“The hospital will soon be commissioned because all civil works have already been fully completed while 85% of the equipment has been installed.”
The Commissioner highlighted the significant strides made in revamping the state’s health sector under the leadership of Governor Uba Sani over the past 22 months.
These efforts include substantial infrastructural development, upgrades to existing healthcare facilities, and the provision of essential equipment for both primary and secondary healthcare centres.
“The governor has revamped the entire health sector in Kaduna State, through infrastructural development, facilities upgrade, and equipping of primary as well as secondary health care facilities in the last 22 months,” she affirmed.
Other key healthcare initiatives underway in Kaduna State, as outlined by the Commissioner, encompass the upgrading of numerous Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs), the rehabilitation of secondary healthcare facilities, and improvements to health financing mechanisms.
The state is currently rehabilitating and equipping 13 out of its 33 general hospitals. Furthermore, plans are in motion to upgrade 255 PHCs to Level 2 status, enabling them to provide basic emergency obstetrics and neonatal care aimed at reducing maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity rates.
A contract has also been awarded for the reconstruction, remodelling, and equipping of additional health facilities at the Yusuf Dantsoho Memorial Hospital in Tudun Wada.
The Kaduna State Government has also prioritised the enhancement of its medical supply chain. The warehouse of the Kaduna State Health Supplies Management Agency has been renovated and equipped to meet Pharma-grade standards, now boasting a 1,600 sqm area with a storage capacity of 8,000 cubic metres for pharmaceutical products, along with a well-equipped quality control laboratory.
Over 975 stock-keeping units have been procured and distributed to public health facilities across the state, and state-of-the-art equipment has been distributed to 290 PHC centres to bolster diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities.
Commissioner Ahmed commended Governor Sani for his commitment to improving health financing in the state. She noted a significant increase in health insurance enrolment, rising from 527,303 individuals in 2023 to 639,432 in 2024, representing a 21.3% increase.
Additionally, the Governor approved the enrolment of 70,000 vulnerable individuals into the Social Health Insurance scheme under the Kaduna State Contributory Health Management Authority and released N52,000,000 as the 25% counterpart contribution for the Basic Health Care Provision Fund programme, facilitating the enrolment of an additional 4,333 vulnerable persons.
Notably, Kaduna State has sustained the allocation of at least 15% of its state financing to the health sector, adhering to the Abuja declaration – a benchmark yet to be achieved at the federal level.
The Commissioner also proudly announced that Kaduna State achieved 100% coverage of public health facilities in the distribution of essential medicines last year, a feat confirmed by the Federal Ministry of Health.
Furthermore, the Kaduna State Health Supplies Management Agency has received 10 prestigious awards, including the esteemed Award for Excellence In Supply Chain from the International Supply Chain Education Alliance.
