Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has donated Tissue Typing and Cross Match Laboratory equipment worth N230 million to the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), Kano.
Group Managing Director of the Corporation, Mele Kyari, made the disclosure at the inauguration of the ultra-modern laboratory on Friday in Kano.
Kyari, who was represented by Abubakar Nuhu, NNPC Group Technical General Manager, said the donation was in response to a request by the AKTH management for the provision of equipment to the laboratory which was one of its kind in the region.
“And also reagents to enable the hospital to grow and alleviate the suffering of many Kidney and other chronic disease patients that required a transplant in 2018.
“Following the review and recommendation of the request by our professionals as well as the issuance of the certificate of no objection by BPP, the request was approved as part of NNPC’s Corporate Social Responsibility,’’ he said.
Kyari said that before the installation of the equipment and reagents, the hospital was paying much to send blood sample of patients to the United Kingdom for clinical analysis.
Also speaking, Chief Medical Director (CMD), Prof. Abba Sheshe said the hospital had treated over 465, 498 kidney and renal failure patients, noting that the patients were from Kano and neighbouring states while few of them from China and Niger Republic.
Sheshe disclosed that the institution had established schools of Community Health Officers, Health Information Management, Post Basic Schools of Nephrology and Pediatrics.
He added that the schools were designed to further improve professional manpower to complement healthcare delivery in the northwest region.
On his part, Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi ll, who inaugurated the laboratory, lauded the NNPC for the gesture, adding that it would be useful to the people especially the less privileged.
“It is a major national embarrassment to see many Nigerians travelling to India, Egypt or Dubai for medical treatment,’’ he said.
Sanusi noted that the penchant for medical tourism had affected the country’s foreign exchange, adding that thousands of Nigerians were dying at home while only the rich could go abroad for treatment.
The emir enjoined the NNPC to redouble effort in touching more lives, adding that a little subsidy would add value to the lives of Nigerians.