Zulum presents N100m to UMTH, begins 24 apartments for medical staff

By Chimezie Godfrey

Governor Babagana Umara Zulum on Friday presented a cheque of N100m as Borno State Government continues to support the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital which is owned by the Federal Government. 

Zulum also laid the foundation for the construction of 24 units of 3-bedroom apartments for medical staff of the hospital. 

The apartments are to be fit into four blocks of two-storey buildings with each to contain six units of three bedrooms. 

At a brief ceremony within the premises of the UMTH along Bama road in Maiduguri, Governor Zulum directed a construction team to deliver the apartments within six months, as he was releasing funds to them immediately. 

Although the Federal Government owns the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, the institution, Zulum noted, is a pride to the people of Borno State given how it has been providing unquantifiable medical services to thousands of citizens not only for tertiary and secondary healthcare needs but even for primary healthcare on many instances. 

“Let me first and foremost convey the deepest appreciation of the people and government of Borno State to the management of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital for the services you have been rendering to our people. We shall continue to give you support in any way we can to ensure that our people get the services they deserve”, Zulum said.

He explained that while the N100m was to augment funding gaps for medical consumables and other needs, the 24 apartments were meant to reduce housing deficits and to accommodate more medical doctors within the hospital so as to keep them closer to the patients, thereby speeding access to healthcare, especially on cases of medical emergencies. 

Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the UMTH, Prof Ahmed Ahidjo, was full of joy and gratitude to Governor Zulum for his relentless support towards the hospital.

“I would not hide my feelings. As I was walking with His Excellency (Governor Zulum) tears were running down my face. I had to turn and clean my tears. Not every leader that comes to visit you (at a hospital) cares to ask about the challenges you face almost all the time and tries to help on many occasions. Not everybody can do this. Your Excellency (Zulum), we cherish your compassion”, Ahidjo stated. 

“Many times when the governor shows up he is always the first to ask about the challenges we are facing before we even start to mention them. He has supported us with a befitting auditorium, supported us with funds for research, supported us with some funds during the Covid-19 pandemic and today he is here to take the burden of building apartments for  our doctors”, the CMD noted. 

Prof Ahidjo said all of Zulum’s interventions to the UMTH were always very critical. He maintained that the history of the UMTH will always reckon with the governor’s huge contributions.