SOKOTO, Nigeria – Governor Ahmad Aliyu of Sokoto State conducted an unannounced visit to the Sokoto Specialist Hospital on Monday, June 19, 2023, to evaluate the quality of services being provided.
In a statement released by Abubakar Bawa, the Governor’s Press Secretary, he indicated that the governor decided to make the impromptu visit following numerous complaints from the citizens of the state regarding poor service delivery at the hospital.
Bawa also mentioned that the concerns that prompted the governor’s visit included the dilapidated state of the hospital buildings, inconsistent power supply, lack of sufficient staff, and non-functional medical equipment.
To obtain an unbiased perspective, Governor Aliyu chose to visit the hospital in a tricycle.
Bawa quoted the governor as saying, “I was surprised with what I saw during my visit to the hospital which lasted for four hours; it afforded me the opportunity to see things for myself.”
The governor reportedly witnessed patients and their families subjected to hazardous conditions due to a filthy environment and a lack of functional equipment.
Governor Aliyu expressed concern that the patients’ families have to rely on alternative sources of power because of the erratic electricity supply in the hospital.
“I have directed the management of the hospital to see me for further discussions on how to remedy the situation,” the governor stated.
A senior management source at the hospital spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, attributing the deplorable state of the hospital to the failure of past state administrations to release the monthly allocations the hospital was due.
This visit by Governor Aliyu is expected to draw attention to the immediate need for improvements in the healthcare facility.
