By SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri –
Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum has commissioned acute respiratory therapist treatment plant at the State Specialist Hospital in Maiduguri.
The state Governor said the oxygen plants and solar direct drive refrigerators can go along way in complementing the efforts of the Borno State in providing health care facilities to the people and improve the storage capacity of hospital and health centres to increase Covid-19 responses as well as epidemic prone diseases affecting children.
The Governor who was represented by his Deputy Governor Umar kadafur also commended the efforts of the Japanese Government for their support and assistance in providing two oxygen plants and 23 Solar direct drive refrigerators to Hospital and Health Centres Across the state.
While commissioning and handing over the facilities and other items at the state specialist Hospital maiduguri, Governor Zulum also called on the hospital management board and the benefiting hospital to make proper use of the equipment to stand the test of time, stressing that Borno State Government has attached importance to the health sector and have invested so much, therefore would not take it lightly for any misuse of the facilities.
The Project Manager, United Nation Office Project Service, Engineer Atimuke fakanler said the project was funded by the United Nations office for project service in close partnership with the Embassy of Japan in Nigeria, Borno State Government and North East Development Commission.
She also noted that the activities of the project were targeted at scaling up oxygen production and supply in Borno State.which is to be achieved through the construction of two oxygen plants that would be located within the premises of the state specialist Hospital Maiduguri and the second one is to be located in Biu General Hospital.
The Project Manager also said that the facilities handed over comprised of the oxygen production area, the managers office, common room for wash rooms, waiting room, storage area for the empty and filled cylinders.
She added that the oxygen plants have the capacity to produce over 200 cylinders per day as against the proposed capacity of just 100 cylinders per day, while the 23 Solar direct drive refrigerators will increase vaccine storage capacity and would be distributed among selected health facilities in the state.
Speaking via zoom, the Ambassador of Japan to Nigeria, Mr Kazuyoshi matsunaga said the purpose of the donation is to support the government of Borno State in their health sector and also to help strengthen the health system of the conflict affected and hard to reach areas of the state affected for years by the Boko Haram insurgency, which are operating at almost zero capacity due to lack of essential equipment like the cold chain.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr Mohammed Guluze, promised to ensure that all the material are put into good use for the purpose they are meant for.
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