Gov Bago Commissions 60-bed Porta-Cabin Wing, Equipped Accident and Emergency Unit, Others

By YM Bina

The Niger State Governor Mohammed Umar Bago has commissioned a remodelled medical facilities at the IBB Specialized Hospital, Minna, to strengthen tertiary healthcare services and provide 21st-century quality treatment that is accessible and affordable to every citizen in the state.

He made this known during the commissioning ceremony of a 60-bed Porta-Cabin Wing, A fully equipped Accident and Emergency Unit, A modern Intensive Care Unit (ICU), comprehensive Radio-Diagnostic Suite, housing Mammogram, MRI, CT scan, X-Ray and other scanning rooms, and a remodelled Private/ Amenity Wing that will operate 24-hour surveillance services, two mega solar power provided in Minna.

The governor noted that the facility has long stood to provide tertiary healthcare services for the State and beyond, adding that the hospital has grown from approximately 140 beds to 200 beds, significantly expanding its ability to deliver timely and high-quality care to our people.

According to him, it is against this backdrop that our administration recognises the need to increase its infrastructural capacity to a global standard to meet the growing demands of our population.

Governor Bago revealed that his
administration understands the importance of a strong healthcare system that stands on three pillars of infrastructure, equipment, and human resources. In addition to these facilities, we recently commissioned 54 Level II Primary Healthcare Centres across Niger State to provide quality primary healthcare services at the grassroots, combat diseases, and reduce referrals.

Bago appreciated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s support for providing funds and his vision together with the development partners, health professionals, engineers, contractors, and, indeed, the management and staff of IBB Hospital for their dedication and resilience throughout the reconstruction and remodelling process.

He stressed that it’s a deliberate efforts to provide world-class medical services in line with the New Niger Agenda of our administration, while he noted that the facilities commissioned has been adjudged as the only one in Sub-Sahara Africa. Added that 20 PHC level one has been completely upgraded to level two with remaining 110 PHC, 22 general hospitals to be upgraded and 1,500 health workers employed by his government.

In his speech, the Commissioner for Health Dr Murtala Bagana said that
the ongoing renovation and remodeling of the IBB Specialist Hospital are among the most critical pillars of our health
transformation strategy.

Dr Bagana added that the facility is not being upgraded for superficial improvements; rather, it is being repositioned as a reference center for advanced and specialized interventions and emergency care across the entire North-Central region.

According to him, “the era when patients routinely travelled outside Niger State for advanced diagnostics and complex procedures is gradually giving way to a new reality of confidence in our own institutions.”

“On the medical side, we can provide subspecialty services, including cardiology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, nephrology, pulmonology, family medicine, and
anesthesiology.”

He stressed that the Niger State Government has engaged the services of 20 visiting consultants collaborating with our resident medical and surgical teams to deepen expertise, transfer knowledge, and gradually build in-state capacity for highly specialized procedures.

In the welcome address, the Chief Medical Director, IBB Specialist hospital Minna, Doctor Bala Waziri who applauded Governor Mohammed Umar Bago for the unprecedented infrastructural development in the health sector, assured that the facilities will be judicious utilized to the benefit of Nigerlites and Nigerians.