From Olukayode Idowu, Maiduguri
SUNRISE NEWS, Maiduguri, July 10, 2020 Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum has set up the machinery for the establishment of a medical college and a teaching hospital for the State University with the inauguration of a technical committee.
The technical committee is saddled with the task of providing the needed atmosphere for the commencement of programmes in Medicine and Surgery in the institution established in 2016.
At the inauguration which took place at the council chambers of the Government House in Maiduguri. Othman Kyari, a healthcare professor and former chief medical director of University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital was named as the chairman of the technical team that has other medical professionals and engineers.
The team is to develop a blueprint that will include advise on feasibility, cost and staffing, and to liaise with all stakeholders including the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, the National Universities Commission amongst others, towards take-off of medicine and surgery at Borno’s university.
The Governor gave the team three months to submit its implementable recommendations.
Zulum had in November 2019, while inaugurating the state university’s Senate to mark the formal academic take-off, promised to work towards the commencement of medicine at the university located along Maiduguri-Damaturu highway.
The Governor said while inaugurating the team, that doctors and other medical professionals are still inadequate especially in local government areas.
He said by establishing a medical college and a new teaching hospital, it is hoped that in the near future, the gap in the ratio of doctors to the citizens would be reduced.
The Governor also said that when medicine is offered at the State University, funds used in sponsoring citizens for medical courses abroad and in other places, would remain in Borno and help improve the University and other aspects of education.
Zulum read out 13 terms of reference on which the inaugurated technical team would work and gave a deadline of three months for submission of report.
The terms of reference are as follows:
To examine and advise on the feasibility of establishing Borno State College of Medicine and Borno State University Teaching Hospital.
To produce a blueprint for speedy realization of establishing Borno State College of Medicine and Borno State University Teaching Hospital, including appropriate timelines for the commencement of the two projects.
To produce all relevant technical documents, including appropriate designs, and likely costs implications for the two projects.
To identity and advise on the appropriate sites for the two projects bearing in mind post assignment COVID-19 challenges.
To advise on the best strategies of getting qualified academic staff for all the departments in the Borno State College of Medicine.
To advise on minimum staff requirements for the smooth take-off of the Borno State University Teaching Hospital.
To advise on appropriate state-of-the-art equipment required for the two projects.
To consider and advise on the possibility of working out strong collaboration with University of Maiduguri Teaching
Hospital (UMTH) and University of Maiduguri towards the success of the two (2) projects.
To consider and advise on the possibility of securing support nationally and internationally towards the realization of the two (2) projects.
To liaise with all relevant regulatory bodies, including the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) and National University Commission (NUC) to facilitate the smooth and timely takeoff of the two (2) projects.
To consider any other matter relevant to its assignment.
To co-opt any other person or persons the committee deems useful for the success of its assignment.
To submit comprehensive report to the Governor of Borno State Professor Babagana Umara Zulum) FSNE, mni, within three (3) months of its inauguration by the Governor.