Maiduguri, To strengthen well being infrastructure in conflict-affected areas of Borno State, the Authorities of Borno, in collaboration with the World Well being Group (WHO) and with funding assist from the European Union (EU), has launched the enlargement of Monguno Specialist Hospital.
The inspiration-laying ceremony, held on 12 Might 2025, marks a major milestone within the State’s healthA system restoration agenda. The upgraded hospital will embrace new inpatient wards, outpatient session rooms, maternal and youngster well being models, and ehanced water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services.
The initiative is a part of the Borno State Authorities’s broader well being sector transformation technique, which seeks to place Monguno as a regional well being hub serving 9 Native Authorities Areas (LGAs) and reaching cross-border communities in Chad and the Niger Republic.
Talking on the ceremony on behalf of Deputy Governor Umar Usman Kadafur, the Commissioner for Well being, Professor Baba Mallam Gana, described the enlargement as a vital funding in healthcare supply.
“This enlargement will enhance service supply, scale back overcrowding, and guarantee higher care, significantly for girls and kids,” he mentioned. He expressed appreciation to WHO and the EU for his or her continued assist.
Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo, WHO Consultant in Nigeria, reiterated WHO’s dedication to equitable entry to healthcare.
“Entry to important well being companies is a elementary proper,” Dr Mulombo mentioned. “This challenge demonstrates our shared dedication to reaching individuals in distant and underserved communities. With the management of the Borno State Authorities and the monetary assist of the EU, we’re working collectively to rebuild well being methods and save lives.”
The enlargement in Monguno follows an identical initiative not too long ago launched in Biu, in southern Borno. These initiatives are a part of coordinated efforts to rebuild well being companies for displaced populations and weak communities throughout the state.
The upgraded Monguno Specialist Hospital is anticipated to be accomplished by the tip of 2025. As soon as operational, it would present lifesaving companies to 1000’s of individuals, together with internally displaced individuals (IDPs) and host communities, in a area grappling with poverty, malnutrition, and broken infrastructure.
Arc Isa Halidu Garba, Commissioner of the Ministry of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement, highlighted the broader significance of the challenge.
“That is a part of our plan to rebuild important well being infrastructure and restore hope in communities affected by years of insecurity,” he mentioned.
Along with infrastructure assist, WHO backed by the EU and different companions continues to assist the state in vital areas akin to illness surveillance, well being employee coaching, and supply of important well being companies.