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Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State
Ibrahim Oyewale writes on Governor Yahaya Bello exploits in Health Sector, focusing on the impact of the gigantic Reference Hospital, Okene.
In line with the determination to put an end to constant medical tourism abroad by Nigerians and make Kogi State the hub of medical tourism to provide quality healthcare services to the people of the State, the present administration under the leadership of Governor Yahaya Bello has etched the name of the state in gold by establishing an ultra-modern multi billion Naira Reference Hospital in Okene, the headquarters of Kogi Central Senatorial District.
By implications, it means that the citizen of Kogi State and Nigerians will continue to obtain the best quality medical treatment rather than embarking on medical tourism abroad or to any other part of the country. While boosting the health sector, it will also grow the economy of Okene and Kogi State in geneeal.
This ,it was learnt was one of best giants stride in the health sector under the new direction administration in the last six and half years. Apart from rebranding and rehabilitation of the State Specialist Hospital in Lokoja , the construction of new general hospital at Gegu, Adogo and Isanlu respectively, Yahaya Bello administration has frog leaped to building a standard Referrer Hospital which is first of it kinds in Kogi State.
It was reliably gathered that the tertiary health institution when go operational in no distant future will be playing specifically a complimentary roles to the other existing facilities such as UCH, LUTH, UITH, UUTH, UMTH which will attract best standard practice across the globe.
Kogi State Government in North Central Nigeria has constructed one of Nigeria’s biggest state-owned Hospital.The Ultra-modern reference hospital is designed to meet international standards with the state of art health facilities.
The five-story building hospital is located in Okene Local government , the substructure has been completed while the superstructure work has reached an advanced level.
The State government was equally determined to make available the medical equipment to facilitate best medical services in the state
Before this time, the Kogi State House of Assembly passed a bill for the construction of this multi-billion Naira Hospital, following the passage of the bill, the State government mobilised the contractors to the site in Okene, the Headquarters of Okene Local government area of the State.
At the conception of the ideas for the establishment of the Referrer Hospital, the
Governor of Kogi State Yahaya Bello has stressed the need for better healthcare delivery. He was of the view that with the completion of this Reference hospital in the State would mark an end to medical tourism .
This giant stride ,it was learnt had kept the discerning public guessing whether the project would come to fruition because of the cost that would be involved and the lean resources accrued to the State,but despite the global economic downturn that had negative economic impact on the developing countries and when most of the states were also facing economic challenges, the new direction government vowed to act positively on the healthcare sector believing that a “healthy state is a wealth state”.
But with state government’s doggedness and the successful completion of the gigantic reference hospital, both loyalists and avowed critics have continued to laud the vision of Governor Yahaya Bello’s administration for bringing qualitative healthcare services delivery to the people of Kogi State, stressing tertiary health facilities will only not beneficial to all, but also for the generation yet unborn.
However, the right thinking people in Kogi state and even those in the opposition parties are have unanimously agreed that politics apart, some of the new direction policies and steps in the last 6 and half years have been in the right steps in the direction as legacy projects have been littered across the three senatorial districts of Kogi State.
Shedding more light on the on the Kogi Government’s efforts , Kingsley Femi Fanwo, the State Commissioner for Information and Communications explained that the hospital is a first class Medical Institution that will re-write the story of medical practice and access to medical facilities in Nigeria.
Fanwo said that recently, the Commissioners of Information of all APC States were in Kogi for their Progressive Governors Forum Information and Communications Steering Committee Meeting. They spared time to visit the Reference Hospital, Okene and words failed them in describing how magnificent the Hospital is. It is one of a kind in Nigeria. The hospital will radically change the face of healthcare delivery in Kogi and Nigeria, as many will now have access to excellent medical facilities and services.
The Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications pointed out that the hospital is intended to end medical tourism abroad. “What Nigerians travel abroad to access medically are available at the Reference Hospital, Okene. This will also help reduce capital flights abroad”.
“The Reference Hospital, Okene will serve as Teaching Hospital to the newly established Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara. It will ensure that our Medical Students from the school are top notch”.
“We also want to use the state-of-the-art hospital to drastically reduce maternal mortality rate. According to the Governor, women are not supposed to lose their lives in the process of giving birth to lives. With the health policies of the Governor, we have been able to drag the rate down. With this hospital, we can drag it down further”, he stressed
Fanwo added that the significance of tertiary facility cannot be over emphasised ,stressing that one other interesting thing about the hospital is the fact that it has its own Oxygen Plant. ‘The capacity of the plant is such that we can permanently solve the problem of inadequate oxygen in the entire North Central and some parts of South East, South South and South West.
Okene is bordered by Edo and Ondo State. Many of the states around Kogi will depend on the Oxygen Plant at the Reference Hospital, Okene.
“Also, the traffic to the medical facilities in the FCT will come down drastically now that same facilities are readily available in Kogi State. People living in some West African countries will find Kogi State closer than Europe and America. In all, the Kogi State Reference Hospital will address health needs, economic needs and also ensure national, sub-regional and regional integration.
One of the major concerns of medical activists has been how the common man will be able to afford such first class medical services. But Kogi under GYB is also planning ahead. The State Government has launched a Health Insurance Scheme, known as BelloCare. Under the present administration, we initiated a Bill to establish a Health Insurance Agency.
“Today, that Bill has not only been signed into Law, the Governor has ensured a fully functional Health Insurance Agency is fully in operation under the leadership of an Executive Director. Today, thousands of Kogites and residents have been on board the Health Insurance Scheme.
The Commissioner posited that there is no better time to have the kind of Health Commissioner we have than now, adding that aside from being a world class Medical Practitioner, he is a Community Health enthusiast and expert. Kogi is intentional in making the best of Medicare available to both the rich and the poor.
It is more than a Reference Hospital!
He added that some video clips will follow this and Nigerians will appreciate what Governor Yahaya Bello has done to stir a revolution in the healthcare sector. He said it during the COVID 19 controversy that instead of promoting COVID 19, Nigeria should invest heavily on her healthcare facilities. He has done what he preached .
Only recently, the Nigerian Union of Journalists, (NUJ), Kogi State Council gifted the State Governor, Yahaya Bello an award of excellence on his development stride in health sector particularly for establishment of the Reference hospital Okene during the 2023 Press Week.
Speaking at the occasion,the State Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Comrade Adeiza Momohjimoh commended the governors strides in the infrastructures development in the recent past, Calling on the State government to do more on the pressing issues .
The National President who was in Lokoja to attend the 2022 Press Week of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Kogi State Council lauded the state government for the tangible projects executed by the Bello led administration , urging other State governors to emulate Bello’s development strides.
The Governor who was represented by the Secretary to the State government, Mrs. Folashade Arike Ayoade states the the award excellence bestowed on the State governor, Yahaya Bello would spurs him to do more because he was determined to leave good legacy that would outlive his administration
A member of opposition party who spoke to Thisday newspaper on the condition of anonymity, stated that is not a member of the All progressive congress nor a fan of Governor, but has come to term with the reality that Yahaya Bello is doing well in the area of infrastructural development .He highlighted some of the tangible infrastructures put in place by the Bello led administration such Revenue House,Reference Hospital Okene, General Hospital Gegu in Kogi local government area ,General Hospital in Isanlu in Yagba East. Kogi Rice Mills in Yagba West ,Establishment of University of Science and Technology, Osara in Kogi Central ,President Muhammadu Buhari Civil centres ,GYB Model Science School in Adankolo, Lokoja, Overhead Bridge at Ganaja junction which has eased the hitherto grid lock and construction roads across the three senatorial district, Connect some towns in Kogi East to the national grid and numerous to mention .
He however called on the State government to as matter of urgency complete the Ganaja -Barracks road ,GYB Junction to Zango /Barracks and City centre and Zone 8 High Court/House Assembly-Crusher road to serve as alternative routs.
