By Aisha Wakaso
The Governor of Niger State, Mohammed Umaru Bago, has declared an emergency for General Hospital Minna. He said the hospital is in very bad shape and needs to be completely rebuilt.
At a government meeting, Governor Bago explained that the hospital was built over 50 years ago and has become too old and worn out to meet the healthcare needs of the state’s growing population.
He said the hospital has been used too much for many years, and its poor condition now makes it hard to provide proper healthcare in Minna and nearby areas.
To fix the problem, the Governor formed a team of advisers and important stakeholders to inspect the hospital and come up with real solutions. Based on their suggestions, the government will demolish the old building and rebuild new parts of the hospital in phases.
During the rebuilding process, important services will be moved temporarily to selected primary healthcare centres around the state so that people can still receive care.
The Governor shared that during a surprise visit to the hospital, he sat on an old bench in the eye centre that had been there since he was a child. He said, “We have to face the truth. The hospital is no longer useful. It’s overcrowded, outdated, and unsafe. We need a new, modern hospital that matches our goal of better health in Niger State.”
He also said this move is part of a bigger plan to improve the whole healthcare system in Niger State, so that everyone can get good and respectful medical services.
“Our government wants to create systems that really work. Health is very important, and we want people to see real changes in the way healthcare is given,” he said.
The Governor promised that the government will do everything possible to avoid too many problems during the rebuilding period and make sure people can still get important medical services until the new hospital is ready.
