Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, has reaffirmed that Nigeria is on course to establish a world-class healthcare system that will put an end to medical tourism and meet international standards.
Senator Barau made this known on Sunday during an inspection of seven major projects he facilitated at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) in Kano State.
He stated that the projects were part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at revamping and strengthening Nigeria’s health institutions for better service delivery.
“Our goal is to make our hospitals so good that Nigerians will no longer need to travel to Egypt or India for medical treatment,” Barau said.
“We have the human resources and expertise to transform our health sector if we invest properly.”
According to the Senate Deputy President, the projects at AKTH are designed to upgrade the hospital into a specialised medical hub capable of offering world-class healthcare services.
The projects include:
- Construction and equipping of a Cardiothoracic Centre
- Development of a Paediatrics Complex
- New classrooms and offices for the School of Health Information Management (SHIM)
- Construction of a student hostel for the College of Nursing Sciences
- Road and interlocking works across the hospital premises.
Barau, accompanied by four senators, said the initiatives align with President Tinubu’s vision of creating a strong and accessible healthcare system for all Nigerians.
“What we are witnessing now, in terms of medical tourism, will soon stop with the necessary investment in our health sector. We have the human resources and the expertise to make our hospitals world-class,” he added.
He also pledged that the National Assembly would continue to support the Executive Arm through legislation and oversight, to ensure successful healthcare reforms nationwide.
The Chief Medical Director of AKTH, Prof. Abdurrahman Abba Sheshe, commended Senator Barau’s interventions, describing them as transformative steps that would greatly enhance medical training and service delivery.
Similarly, the Vice Chancellor of Bayero University Kano (BUK), Prof. Haruna Musa, lauded Barau’s contributions, noting that within two months of assuming office, the senator had already facilitated two major projects for the university.
“Senator Barau’s commitment is evident, and we are proud of the support he continues to give to BUK and AKTH,” Prof. Musa said.
