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From Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri
Yobe State government has unfolded a plan to establish a specialist hospital for kidney cases in the northern part of the state to tackle the prevalence of renal diseases in the area.
Commissioner of Information and Home Affairs, Alhaji Abdulahi Bego, disclosed this on Friday, during an interaction with journalists at the close of two-day Quarterly Summit of the Commissioners of Information of states controlled by the All Progressive Congress (APC).
“Governor Buni plans to set up a specialist kidney hospital in Gashua, northern part of Yobe. This is a very important step because the current free kidney dialysis programme of the state government is done in Yobe State Teaching Hospital, Damaturu, the state capital,” he told journalists.
He explained that the proposed kidney specialist hospital, when established, would bring healthcare service closer to the patients in the northern part of the state with prevalence of kidney problem.
“The concern of the governor is that patients don’t have to travel far to Damaturu again to access care,” he further explained.
Bego said the government has already established a bio-RTC Centre at the state university for the management of renal cases. He said the state is funding a study to determine reasons for the prevalence of kidney diseases in the northern part of the state, specifically in Gashua, Jakusko, Nguru and Yusufari local governments.
He said the introduction of free kidney dialysis and healthcare service by the state government, is to support patients overcome the financial burden of managing their health cases.
“The state government set aside huge amount every month to provide this free service,” he disclosed.
He expressed hope that the on-going research will help in providing information to embark on advocacy and sensitisation of the people on the causes of kidney disease.
