By Abubakar Baba Ahmad.
The Controller General of the Nigeria Customs Service CG Bashir Adeniyi has inaugurated a 500 million naira, Sixty bed capacity State-of-the-Art Nigeria Customs Reference Hospital in Bauchi.
Inaugurating the facility, the Controller General urged government institutions to provide facilities especially Healthcare services to take care of their personnel’s wellbeing to enable them remain connected to the people.
“This moment affirms that when institutions and responsible corporate partners act with foresight and commitment, the benefit extends beyond the organizational boundaries to strengthen communities and to advance national development”, Adeniyi states.
CG Bashir Adeniyi said the 60 bed capacity Abdul Samad Rabiu/Nigeria Customs Service Reference hospital is part of the service initiative to engage corporate bodies to provide funds and infrastructure for improved services and the strengthening of national institutions.
While reassuring the commitment of the Customs in periodic maintenance of the hospital and conducting medical outreach to communities, the Custom Boss said the facility will serve its personnel who protect the nation, their families and the public.
He thanked the Abdul Samad Rabiu Initiative ASR Africa for the remodeling and upgrade of the hospital which is expected to serve States under the Customs Zone D comprising Adamawa, Taraba, Bauchi, Gombe, Borno, Yobe, Plateau , Benue and Nassarawa States.
“When we started off, you know, partnership between us and BUA Group is coming to fruition. At last, we are going to be delivering quality health care services to officers and men and, of course, members of the community. We are quite impressed and I must also say that we’ve not seen those kind of equipment in terms of sophistication in this part of the country. So we are quite happy that we will be contributing our own quota to the delivery of health care in Nigeria”, CG Customs explains.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive of Abdul Samad Rabiu Initiative Dr Ubon Udo said the hospital is part of the organisation’s investment to support the activities of security agencies, with the Nigeria Customs choosing a healthcare centre.
Dr Ubon Udo noted that the facility which was upgraded from a two bed to 30 then the recent upgrade to 60 bed capacity has seven clinical departments, two non-clinical departments, three units and two theatres.
“We’ve seen how two agencies, an agency in the private sector, can come together to bring extreme value. Some of the equipment here we can’t even find in hospitals across the region. So this is going to be a center of excellence for health care.”
“We’re going to look forward to how we can continue to work with them, organize medical outreaches, see that the facility is properly utilized, and they have a complement of very, very, in fact, I would say, over-trained staff, which they’ve deployed to maintain the equipment”, the MD/CEO ASR Africa says.
Also Speaking, the Governor of Bauchi State Bala Mohammed represented by the Secretary to the State Government Aminu Hammayo appreciated the Nigeria Customs Service and Abdul Samad Rabiu Initiative for establishing the hospital in Bauchi, noting that it will help in reducing the burden of large number of patients seeking medical care in government health facilities across the state.
“On behalf of His Excellency, once again acknowledge the Comptroller General and the Nigerian Customs Service and ASR Africa for this magnificent hospital that you have provided, which will support our efforts in healthcare delivery in the state”, the Governor appreciates.
Earlier, the Customs Zonal Coordinator Zone D Bauchi, ACG Chukwudi Ogbonna who said the hospital is projected to serve about 300 patients in the first three months and over one thousand in the cause of the year, urged the surrounding communities to take advantage of the facility for quality health care services.
Speaking on behalf of the communities, Alhaji Tanko Dutse thanked the Nigeria Customs for improving the livelihood of residents in the area especially in the aspects of economy and security.
Other activities witnessed at the event include inauguration of sporting facilities within the Customs Zonal headquarters, Zone D Bauchi constructed by the service, Cultural display by the state troupes among others.
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