The Government House Clinic in Kaduna has been shut down and its medical personnel redeployed to public hospitals following a directive from the state governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai.

A statement signed by Samuel Aruwan, media aide to the governor, said drugs and equipment in the clinic had also been moved to Yusuf Dantsoho Memorial Hospital, Tudun Wada, Kaduna, while Government House staff had been directed to henceforth use the Yusuf Dantsoho Hospital, the nearest general hospital to the Government House, for their medical needs.

The government said these decisions were taken to boost the healthcare system in the state by moving medical personnel, drugs and equipment to public hospitals.

Aruwan quotes the governor as saying, “There are not yet enough doctors in the public health system in Kaduna State. Therefore, it is not prudent to assign doctors, nurses and other medical staff to serve Government House alone. It is clearly more beneficial to the wider society if the services of these medical personnel were made available to the public in a general hospital. In addition, it is better that everyone working in the Government House uses the same health facilities as the general public.”

Aruwan confirmed that the directive had been implemented, saying, “Medical personnel from the Government House Clinic have been redeployed to public hospitals in the state. All drugs and medical equipment in the Government House Clinic have also been evacuated and are being put to use at the Yusuf Dansotho Hospital. It is expected that the management of the public hospitals will make good use of the medical personnel, drugs and equipment donated to them.”

Dr. Muhammad Bello Armaya’u, medical director of Yusuf Dansotho Hospital, confirmed that the hospital had received the drugs and equipment. He thanked the Governor for the move, promising that the hospital would make good use of extra capacity. (Daily Trust)

•Photo shows Governor El-Rufai.