Gov Lawal flags off construction of 200-bed capacity Talata Mafara General Hospital

By IBRAHIM KANOMA, Gusau

Governor of Zamfara State, Alhaji Dauda Lawal, has restated his administration’s dedication to investing in the health sector.

He stated this while recognizing the vital role General Hospitals play in the healthcare delivery system of human communities.

On Saturday September 8, 2024, the governor said this while inaugurating the reconstruction and equipping of the General Hospital in the Talata Mafara Local Government Area, including the construction of a 200-bed capacity.

Mallam Yahaya Abdulkarim, former Governor of Old Sokoto State, was the special guest of honor performed the flag-off ceremony.

In his remarks, Governor Dauda Lawal expressed concern about the neglect of Talatan Mafara General Hospital, highlighting the lack of essential medical equipment and poor infrastructure over the years.

He revealed that previous governments had completely neglected the healthcare sector, which has driven his administration to embark on a process of revamping it.

He said, “By the will of Allah, I am here today to fulfill the promise I made a few months ago when I visited this hospital and the State University. Considering the sorry state of this health facility, I pledged to undertake its total reconstruction to provide a befitting General Hospital for an expanding commercial town like Talata Mafara.

“Our administration has prioritized the revitalization of decaying infrastructure as a critical pillar of our transformational agenda. We have deliberately placed education and healthcare at the forefront, recognizing their central roles in societal development. This hospital is just one of many facilities being constructed to provide a conducive environment for delivering quality healthcare services.

“Our administration remains steadfast in its commitment to investing in the health sector, with a clear understanding of the crucial role that General Hospitals play in the healthcare delivery system. They serve as the vital link between Primary Healthcare facilities and Tertiary institutions.

“The project we are flagging off today involves the construction of a 200-bed capacity hospital and providing modern equipment to improve service delivery to the people.

“It includes the construction of the following facilities: reception and waiting rooms, records and accounts section, pediatric ward, male medical ward, male surgical ward, laboratory, theatre, dental lab, pharmacy, female surgical ward, female medical ward, ENT department, two labor rooms with an in-charge office, treatment room, nurse’s station, CMD office with a secretary’s office, dentist office, female changing room, five consulting rooms, ICU, X-ray unit, preparation room, recovery room, pharmacy, mammogram unit, Accident & Emergency (A&E) unit, office, doctor’s on-call room, antenatal ward, restaurant with kitchen, two two-bed wards, and a matron’s office.

“It will be completed within six months, with Abdulwahab Razaq Memorial Ltd as the contractor. At this juncture, it is my singular honor and privilege to invite our special guest of honor, His Excellency, the former Governor of old Sokoto State, Mallam Yahaya Abdulkarim, mni, Magajin Rafin Sokoto, to flag off the construction of this hospital officially.”

Earlier, the old Sokoto former governor, Mallam Yahaya Abdulkarim, commended Governor Dauda Lawal for making the healthcare sector one of his administration’s priorities.

“I was amazed when the governor told me that all advanced equipment had already been procured for the General Hospital; this is laudable,” he said.