Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital is the oldest medical facility in Kano metropolis serving millions of residents within and outside the metropolitan local government areas of the state.
Established in 1926, the facility serves as both specialist and referral centre to almost all hospitals under the state government.
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Until recently, Chronicle observes that the hospital suffered infrastructural decay in spite of the critical role it plays in the provision of medical services to the people of the state.
However, recent intervention by the office of the Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) has given the hitherto dilapidated facility a befitting look to the admiration of care seekers and visitors.
When our reporters visited the facility recently, rehabilitation works were still going on in various sections of the 826-bed capacity hospital including the administrative block, medical wards, theatre and conveniences.
Among the issues of concern to the hospital were infrastructural deficit, especially in the area of conveniences for use by patients.
Chronicle learnt that a few months ago, patients had to go to private conveniences outside the hospital to take their bath because of the dilapidated nature of the ones in the hospital.
However, with the SDG intervention, care seekers now have some relief as the long-standing problem of water supply is also being addressed in the hospital.
Some of them commended the government for the project, describing it as timely especially given the challenges COVID-19 had posed to the health sector in the country.
Malam Tasi’u Hamza, who was at the hospital with his ailing son said: “As of last year, patients, including the women who give birth, were going out to use private conveniences because the facilities were poor in the hospital, but today you can see for yourself, everywhere is wearing a new look. We are very happy with this development.”
Hajara Bello and Asma’u Garba Gezawa were both delighted with the development in the hospital, saying it would go a long way in easing the challenges patients and their relatives are going through.
Gezawa said, “At some point, you can’t withstand the sight of a toilet in this facility because they were being overused without being properly taken care of. You know, people are too many and everyone makes use of the toilet and if there is no water you know the rest. That’s why you see toilets unkempt with all manner of filth.
“But with this, I think some relief has come and I pray they will maintain the facilities so that they would benefit the people for a long time to come.”
