Yobe spends N1.7bn to rehabilitate general hospitals

Yobe State Governor, Ibrahim Gaidam, has explained why his administration is making huge investments in rehabilitating and upgrading the General Hospital, Potiskum.

During a visit to inspect wide-ranging rehabilitation and expansion work going on in the hospital yesterday, the governor said Potiskum has the largest population of all major towns in the state and therefore, deserves a proportionate and commensurate healthcare facility to cater to the people within Potiskum metropolis and beyond.

“I understand that this hospital has been in existence since 1969 but no major rehabilitation was carried out since it was built. Healthcare is one of our administration’s topmost priority, so we are focusing on turning around our major hospitals in Potiskum, Gashu’a and Gaidam,” he said.

On-going rehabilitation and expansion of the Potiskum General Hospital will cost the state government N743.6 million. In addition to rehabilitating and expanding existing structures within the hospital, new structures, such as operation theatres, general outpatient department and Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) as well as eight additional blocks, will be built.

The governor tasked contactors to expedite work and deliver quality jobs within four months so that the government can go ahead and provide working equipment for the hospital to deliver optimised healthcare services.

The state government is spending about N1.7 billion to rebuild and expand the General Hospitals in Potiskum, Gashu’a and Gaidam towns.