GOVERNOR Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe State has urged the Federal Government to assist in rebuilding health facilities destroyed by Boko Haram insurgents in the state.

The governor made the appeal on Monday at the Government House, Damaturu when the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, paid an official visit to the state to assess health institutions and facilities.

His words: “The intervention and assistance from the Federal Government would help to reposition our deplorable health facilities across the 17 local councils in the state.”

Gaidam, who was represented by his Deputy, Alhaji Abubakar Aliyu, further disclosed that the insurgents destroyed most of the facilities, thereby affecting the health care delivery system in the state.

He said despite the efforts made in the sector by the state government, a lot needed to be done to improve the health needs of the people.

“The over five-year insurgency has led to the destruction of several health facilities in Gujba and Gulani local councils of the state; while the ones in Damaturu and other major towns of the state have been overstretched by the influx of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in camps,” said Aliyu yesterday.

The state government, according to him, has however rehabilitated the health care facilities at the specialists hospital, as well as the construction of 200-bed capacity hospital in Damaturu, the state capital. He said this is to meet the health care needs of the people.

Responding, Prof. Adewole said his visit to the state was timely to assess the situation in order to upgrade the facilities.
He said President Muhammadu Buhari is determined to improve health facilities nationwide particularly in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states, which were mostly affected by insurgency.He added that government will also provide mobile ambulances, as well as portable water for the comfort of the IDPs.