The House of Representatives has passed for second reading two bills to establishment an Orthopedic Hospital and a Federal Medical Centre in Jos and Wase respectively, both in Plateau state.
The two bills sponsored by Deputy Speaker of the House, Rep. Ahmed Idris Wase were unanimously passed by the House
Speaking on the need for the two facilities in the state, Wase said healthcare service is a critical matter in every society and plays a crucial role in the overall wellbeing and survival of a people thereby promoting self-preservation and national development.
According to him, with a population of over 200 Million, it was disheartening that Nigeria currently has only three orthopedic hospitals as provided for by the Orthopedic Hospitals Management Board Act, adding that the three hospitals were grossly inadequate.
He said the goal of every government should be to ensure that its citizens enjoy optimal health of mind and body, adding that this cannot be actualized with the current number of orthopedic hospitals in Nigeria.
Wase said “it is necessary and imperative that an additional Orthopedic Hospital be established in order to ease the burden on the three extant Orthopaedic Hospitals and to cater to the needs of the North Central zone which does not have a single Orthopaedic Centre.
“It is our belief that, when there is an additional orthopaedic Hospital in Jos, it will connect neigbouring States such as; Nasarawa, the FCT, Kaduna, Bauchi, Gombe, Benue and Taraba States thereby enabling more persons to access specialized orthopedic treatment and medical services.”
He said the hospital will improve access to Orthopaedic and spiral medical services in Nigeria; reduce the burden on existing 3 Orthopaedic Centres in Nigeria; cater to the needs of North Central and parts of North East Geopolitical zones and provide employment opportunities and thereby accelerate socio-economic development to the host community of the Orthopaedic Hospital.
The Deputy Speaker also justified the call for the establishment of a Federal Medical Centre in Wase, jhis constituency, saying “despite its strategic location in Plateau State dense and growing population and apparently having significant health challenges, Wase has no tertiary health facility to provide qualitative health services for its people.
“It is imperative to note that Wase as a geographic entity is located to connect the Southern and Northern Plateau zones and also connects to several neighbouring communities such as in several states including Bauchi, Nasarawa, Gombe and Taraba States.
“Wase is also a rich economic zone harboring rich deposits of mineral resources and of recent, Federal Government oil exploration activities which has been attracting both local and international investors to the Constituency. It is therefore, only logical that a place of such strategic economic, cultural and geographic significance should have a Health Facility that can cater to the needs of its growing population.”
He said further that the distance of health facilities to residents is one of the major factors that affect utilization of health services and ultimately health outcomes as increased distance leads to decreased utilization, while the physical access to this infrastructure will play a significant role in improving the health status of the masses.
Wase said further that the Establishment of Federal Medical Centre Wase will go a long way to reduce the burden on the over-stretched Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) and other health facilities within the North Central and North-eastern part of the country, and people of Bauchi, Gombe, Jos South Local Area and part of Taraba Sate can easily access services in the facility.
He said “Mr. Speaker, my constituents are in dire need of a Medical centre to fill the huge gap and address the concern of those whose future will be guaranteed by establishing a Federal Medical Centre.”
He said the Federal Medical Centre when established in Wase will provide a platform which shall improve the quality of Medical Services received by the good people of Wase Federal Constituency and neighboring communities and improve Access to medical services by women and children in Wase and neighbouring communities.
It will also bridge the manpower deficit being experienced in our local health facilities in the area
reduce maternal/child mortality rate within Wase in particular and Nigeria in general
Provide employment opportunities and thereby accelerate socio-economic development to the host community of the Federal Medical Centre.
