Pioneer northern health worker dies at 78

One of the pioneer health workers recruited  from northern Nigeria before Independence, Donald Faruk, died on Saturday, aged 78.

Faruk  was among the 36 students admitted in to the Medical Auxiliary ‎Training School Kaduna in 1957 after it was founded by the then Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello Sardauna to develop manpower for the health sector.

Faruk who served as health officer in different parts of Northern Nigeria until his retirement in 1980 died in Numan after a brief illness.

He is survived by his only son, ‎Kuleino Faruk.

In a recent interview with Daily Trust just before his demise, Faruk recalled the moment Sardauna told  the medical students that they were at the centre of his health care plans for Northern Region, urging them to dedicate themselves to their crash training programme.