Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum.
By SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri-
In a bid to prepare more manpower for a new Teaching Hospital in Borno State, Governor Babagana Umara has directed the immediate consideration of youths with science qualifications for admissions and scholarship for a degrees in Medicine and related programmes across Universities of Cairo, Egypt.
The Governor gave the order to the State’s Ministry of Higher Education, on Tuesday in Maiduguri, when he received a report from a high powered committee tasked with developing framework for the establishment of Borno State University Teaching hospital, and a Medical College, both of which would qualify the state University to offer Degree programmes in Medicine and other medical fields.
Recalled that Gov. Zulum inaugurated the committe last year July and in late November, The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire laid the foundation for the hospital in Maiduguri, with work progressing at a site in Jimtilo, not far from the University’s campus.
The committe, which was headed by the former Chief Medical Director of existing University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Professor Othman Kyari, had the mandate to recommend design, site, a construction plan and the establishment of a medical college at the State owned University.
Speaking, Dr. Kyari said the said the committee had visited the best medical institutions and colleges to identify structures, equipment and manpower before coming up with recommendations, some of which were already being implemented by the Governor.
The Professor explained that the construction of the new teaching hospital would be carried in two phases, with the first stage which is ongoing to have 400 beds and 200 beds for the second stage. Thus, having a combined capacity of 600 beds.
Dr. Kyari further said that the committee had adopted the name: “Borno State College of Health Sciences” to make it flexible for the State University, to have the latitude of training other paramedical students, in addition to medical doctors.