-As he assures strike-free hospitals for the Mega Hospitals
From Abba Anwar
Kano state governor Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has signed the Kano State Ultra-Modern Specialist Hospitals Bill, 2018 (1439AH), Muhammadu Buhari Specialist Hospital, Giginyu and Paedtric Hospital, Zoo Road, into Law amidst Executive Council Meeting, in the presence of the members of the Advisory Committee chaired by Dr Aminu Magashi.
During his signing of the Bill into Law the governor assured that, the operations and management of the two hospitals would not be business as usual, stressing that, “It will not go the way civil servants operate other health facilities.”
“For these Mega Hospitals, workers industrial dispute, strike, will not find a place. It is in a solely government-controlled hospitals that you can have workers going on strike and be backed by law. But under this arrangement there will be no strike of workers,” he encouraged.
He added that part of the reason for coming up of that great idea was to provide effective and efficient health care service delivery and to reduce medical tourism abroad.
Ganduje reveals that he was thrilled that some teaching hospitals had indicated interest to come to Kano and use the facilities, while commending the State House of Assembly for effectively passing the Bill that which he had assented to.
On his part, the Chairman of the Advisory Committee, Dr Magashi disclosed to the hearing of the governor and other State Council members that, “Your Excellency we came across some medical personnel who were out of the country for the past 20 to 30 years, who have indicated interest in coming to these two Mega Hospitals and invest as private partners.”
They did that, according to Magashi, because they believed in the transparent nature of the process which led to the Law assented by the governor. “I am happy to announce to the hearing of all that, during our committee engagements, there was never a time when His Excellency interfered into our work. He never called to tell us do this or do that. He only called to encourage us all the time,” Magashi emphasised.
Magashi commended governor Ganduje for exemplary leadership and his spirit of continuity in governance, urging other state governments to copy from the Kano state governor.
The Law establishes the public private partnership management arrangement of the two recently completed ultra-modern hospitals of Muhammadu Buhari Specialist Hospital, Giginyu and Zoo Road Paediatric Hospital, in the state.
A management that would be responsible for effective provision of state-of-the-art medical services in the two facilities through PPP arrangement. While also serving as research and training medical centres for sustainable health care delivery system in the state.
The newly assented Law spells clearly the composition of the appointment of the Management Chairman and other members of the governing board. It states for the appointment of the Chairperson Governing Board and other members to be drawn from ministries of health and finance.
Other members according to the Law would be representatives from the State Due Process Office, Office of the Secretary to the State Government, Kano State Investment Promotion Agency, Civil Society Organisations, Private Sector, Association of National Accountants of Nigeria or Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, Kano State Branch and Women Organisations.
It could be recalled that on Tuesday 21st November, 2017 governor Ganduje inaugurated an Advisory Committee under the chairmanship of Dr Magashi to advise the state on management and operations of the two mega hospitals for effective and efficient service delivery.
Parts of the terms of reference given to the committee then were, to examine the current progress of the construction and equipping of the two Mega Hospitals and to articulate a proposal on operational guidelines, monitoring mechanisms and management models for the two hospitals.
To also provide strategic advise on the Health Management Information System (HMIS) to be applied on the operation of the hospitals and to advice on the best practice to be applied for the recruitment of both technical and professionals staff for the hospitals in Chief Medical Director and other key management staff, amongst others.
Earlier the Commissioner for Health Dr Kabiru Ibrahim Getso reminded when President Buhari commended Ganduje for completing the two giant hospitals, during the commissioning of the hospitals few months back.
He further disclosed that, some health workers acquired enough training for operating some newly installed machines, MRI and 4D-Ultra Sound machine, while others would also be trained on other machines, adding that the trainers were brought from abroad.
Anwar is the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Kano State
