The Federal and Sokoto State Governments have signed an agreement to deploy health consultants and resident doctors of the Usmanu Danfodio University Teaching Hospital Sokoto to state health facilities so as so expand access of professional personnel to rural areas across the state.
The agreement was signed by Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and the Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, at the Minister’s office in Abuja.
A statement issued in Sokoto by Tambuwal’s spokesman, Malam Imam Imam, said the strategic partnership, the first of its kind Nigeria, would boost healthcare delivery and provide avenue for the training of health personnel at state government hospitals.
The statement read in part, “With 100 consultants and 30 professors of medicine in its employ, UDUTH will deploy them to state government health facilities across the state while Sokoto government and FG share the burden of their entitlements for the period they are at work with us.
“Basically, the agreement borders on five thematic areas. One, the Teaching Hospital would deploy consultants to cover three state-owned hospitals within Sokoto metropolis, while the state would pay certain remunerations to the consultants.
“Two, the teaching hospital would assign resident doctors to six general hospitals in the state, two resident doctors will be assigned to each of the three senatorial districts in the state. Three, the resident doctors would then be supervised by consultants.
It added, “Four, the state will deploy staff of the Teaching Hospital for its outreach programmes and in turn, it will share the cost of such outreaches with the Federal Government.
“Finally, the agreement covers ambulance service programme, whereby the state would provide ambulances at major entry and exit points of Sokoto, while the FG would provide personnel who will provide emergency services.”
The statement said the ambulances to be provided was aimed at reducing mortality at various scenes of accidents in the state.
During the signing of the MoU, Governor Tambuwal and the Health Minister commended the state government for the innovation that was geared towards better and enhanced quality healthcare delivery in the state.
Adewole recalled that he attempted a similar initiative in 2002 while at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, but the effort was not successful.
The two leaders reiterated the commitment of the present administration to provide quality healthcare services to all Nigerians in a bid to achieve the universal coverage in the sector.
