El-Rufai shuts government house clinic

Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna state, has ordered the closure of the government house clinic in the state.

The governor has also given the directive that medical personnel of the clinic be redeployed to general hospitals, asking government house staff to be using public hospitals “like other citizens of the state”.

Samuel Aruwan, spokesman of the governor, who confirmed the development to journalists, said the decision was taken in order to boost healthcare system in the state.

“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,” Aruwan said.

“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 said the directive had been implemented, disclosing that drugs and equipment in the clinic have been moved to the Yusuf Dansotho Hospital in the Tudun Wada area of Kaduna.

“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,” he said.

“From now on, all government house staff requiring medical services will proceed to the nearest public hospital to the government house like other citizens of the state.

“It is expected that the management of the public hospitals will make good use of the medical personnel, drugs and equipments donated to them.”

According to Aruwan, Muhammad Bello Armaya’u, medical director of Yusuf Dansotho Hospital, has confirmed the receipt of the drugs and equipment.

He said Armaya’u thanked the governor for the move, promising that the hospital will make good use of the extra capacity it has received.