The Niger State Government has set a six-month to one-year timeline to address the clinical training challenges facing medical students of Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBBU), Lapai, following delays in the construction of the institution’s permanent teaching hospital.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Murtala Muhammad Bagana, disclosed this on Friday during the Ministry of Health’s second quarterly media parley in Minna.
Bagana assured that the next batch of medical students would not be required to travel outside the state for their clinical training, as the government is working to provide temporary facilities in Minna while construction of the permanent teaching hospital continues.
The first batch of 41 medical students had been transferred to Zaria for their clinical training. However, the commissioner said the government was determined to ensure that subsequent students receive their clinical training within Niger State.
He explained that the teaching hospital project suffered delays following a disagreement with the contractor. According to him, the issue has now been resolved, allowing the government to proceed with the re-award of the contract.
“In view of that, we have lost some mileage, as there was some disagreement along the way. But finally, we are at the point where the contract would be re-awarded to another contractor who would take us to the promised land,” Bagana said.
The commissioner revealed that the permanent teaching hospital is expected to be completed within 18 months to two years. However, he stressed that the government would not wait for the project to be completed before commencing clinical training for the students in Minna.
“We are not waiting for the teaching hospital to be completed before we start training our students. In the next six months to one year, we will have our facilities ready for them,” he said.
On disease outbreaks in the state, Bagana said the situation remained under control, attributing the improvement in health indicators partly to increased immunisation coverage.
He called on the media to strengthen public awareness campaigns on routine immunisation, particularly against measles, cholera, diphtheria and other vaccine-preventable diseases.
“If we are on the same side with the media on the advocacy, we will see less and less of these outbreaks,” the commissioner added.
BACKSTORY:
The clinical training challenge emerged after the permanent teaching hospital for Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, was delayed, forcing the institution’s first batch of 41 medical students to travel to Zaria for their clinical training.
The Niger State Government said the construction project was affected by a disagreement with the contractor, which has now been resolved. The contract is expected to be re-awarded, although completion of the permanent teaching hospital could take between 18 months and two years.
To avoid further disruption to the medical programme, the government plans to establish temporary facilities in Minna within six months to one year so that subsequent batches of medical students can undertake their clinical training within the state.
