Zulum Deepens Healthcare Intervention, Hands UMTH 42-Room Patients’ Lodge
Michael Olugbode in Abuja
Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, has deepened his administration’s intervention in healthcare delivery with the commissioning and handover of a newly constructed 42-room patients’ apartment to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), Maiduguri.
The facility, built and funded by the Borno State Government, is intended to provide accommodation for relatives and visitors of patients receiving treatment at the tertiary health institution, particularly those who travel from distant parts of the state and neighbouring communities.
Commissioning the facility, Zulum said the intervention was part of his administration’s broader commitment to improving healthcare infrastructure and ensuring that patients and their families receive more humane treatment while accessing medical services.
The latest project brings to the fore the governor’s expanding support for UMTH, a federal institution that serves as one of the major referral centres in the North-East.
Zulum had earlier presented a N100 million intervention to the hospital to address funding gaps for medical consumables and other critical needs.
His administration also constructed 24 three-bedroom residential apartments for medical personnel, a move aimed at easing accommodation challenges and enabling doctors and other health workers to remain closer to the hospital and patients.
The governor has further approved N1 billion in financial support for kidney transplant and maternal health services at UMTH, while the hospital also received a N500 million intervention following the 2024 flood disaster.
The interventions, officials said, reflect an approach in which the state government supports federal institutions operating within Borno whenever such facilities directly affect the welfare and security of residents.
Zulum’s support has extended beyond healthcare. His administration has provided infrastructure and housing facilities at the University of Maiduguri and distributed thousands of patrol vehicles to security agencies and formations to strengthen security operations across the state.
The governor has also approved hundreds of millions of naira in take-off grants for the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Azare; Federal Polytechnic, Monguno; and Federal College of Education, Gwoza.
Speaking during the handover, the Chief Medical Director of UMTH, Prof. Ahmed Ahidjo, expressed appreciation to Zulum for what he described as his sustained support for the hospital.
Ahidjo said the governor’s interventions had continued to make a significant difference in the hospital’s capacity to provide services to patients and improve the working environment for medical personnel.
The governor was accompanied by the Acting Chief of Staff, Dr. Babagana Mallumbe, commissioners, special advisers and other senior government officials.
The commissioning of the 42-room apartment therefore marks another milestone in the state government’s efforts to complement federal investment in critical institutions and improve access to healthcare for residents of Borno and the wider North-East.