U.K. researchers donate eight infant incubators to Kano hospital

Murtala Specialist Hospital in Kano has received a donation of eight units of infant incubators, two units of resuscitators and lab all valued at N50 million from a United Kingdom-based researchers, Barnards Research Project.

Head of the project team, Professor Timothy Walsh said the donation followed a research conducted at the hospital on antibiotic resistance relating to neonates and sepsis, in collaboration with the University of Cardiff, saying the project was funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Unveiling the medical equipment yesterday, Walsh said Murtala Hospital was targeted for the gesture because of research on the“appalling levels if infection control and slow recovery of neonates in the labour ward”.

According to Wale “ if we are going to spend thousands of dollars in Murtala, only a research can give us the evidence that we have made a difference. We are using Murtala as a model and if successful, we can replicate the programme in other hospitals in the state,”

He also complained that “untreatable infections and lack of adequate access to the right antibiotics are issues of concern in Nigeria which need to be promptly addressed, adding that Rwanda and Ethiopia have little problems in that regard.

Similarly , Dr. Kenneth C. Iregbu of National Hospital Abuja, said the researchers decided to donate the incubators and other facilities so as to assist in treating the patients appropriately, adding that the government must buy effective drugs.

“We found that the drugs in use at the hospital are not strong enough to manage neonates with blood stream infections. So we need something better. This is one area the government can intervene. There is no point of making diagnosis you can’t treat,” he said.