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By Lawal Dahiru Mamman
The Northwest Development Commission (NWDC) has pledged to intervene in the power, emergency and equipment gaps crippling tertiary hospitals across the region, starting with a push to install solar and mini-grid systems at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH).
The pledge came on Friday during a courtesy visit by the Chief Medical Director of AKTH, Professor Abdulhamid Abbas Sheshe, to the NWDC headquarters in Kano.
Speaking at the meeting, the Managing Director/Chief Executive of NWDC, Professor Shehu Abdullahi Ma’aji, described AKTH as a “critical reference center” that patients from across Nigeria depend on for specialized care.
“AKTH is a critical institution, and many states depend on it for specialized care. We have received your requests, and we will review them with management and forward recommendations to the Governing Board for consideration. Our goal is to intervene where we can within our mandate,” Ma’aji said.
Professor Ma’aji said AKTH will not be the only beneficiary as the Commission is already reviewing similar requests from other federal and state facilities across the seven Northwest states of Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara.
“We will look at all these requests and see what we can do to the best of our capacity and within our mandate. Health is central to our development agenda for the Northwest,” Ma’aji added.
According to Professor Sheshe, the hospital’s immediate needs include stable electricity, emergency transport, and diagnostic tools — gaps that directly affect maternal and child mortality rates across the Northwest.
“We have discussed issues of light and electricity in the hospital, ambulance services for emergencies, and how to reduce maternal and child mortality in the region.
“We also discussed drug addiction and the need for rehabilitation and proper treatment. Additionally, the provision and maintenance of equipment is very important,” the CMD stated.
Other institutions on NWDC’s radar include Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, as well as Federal Medical Centres and State Teaching Hospitals in the zone.
Hospitals in the Northwest have for years battled erratic power supply, forcing reliance on diesel generators that drive up costs and disrupt surgeries and laboratory work.
The Commission’s plan to prioritise solar and mini-grid solutions, alongside ambulances for referral services, is aimed at reducing deaths and easing pressure on facilities.
