JUST IN: Reps demand hospital relocation from Buhari’s hometown

The House of Representatives has demanded the relocation of a Federal Medical Centre from Daura, the hometown of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to Funtua in Katsina State.

The federal parliament particularly urged the Federal Ministry of Health to ‘reconsider the process of converting Daura General Hospital to Federal Medical Centre in the public interest,’ while also urging the ministry to facilitate the relocation of the Federal Medical Centre to Funtua, “being the only senatorial district without a federal health tertiary institution with immediate effect.”

A member of the House from Katsina State, Babangida Ibrahim, made the demand via a motion at the plenary on Thursday, which the lawmakers unanimously adopted.

The motion was titled, “Need to Relocate the Upgraded General Hospital, Daura to Funtua as Federal Medical Centre.”

Ibrahim recalled a recent approval to convert the General Hospital Daura to a Federal Medical Centre, following the upgrade of the Federal Medical Centre Katsina to a University Teaching Hospital. He also recalled that the new Federal Medical Centre Daura was included in the 2023 budget estimates presented by the President to the National Assembly.

The lawmaker further recalled that in August 2019, the Federal Government established the Nigerian Air Force Reference Hospital, a world-class facility to address the constant medical tourism abroad in search of the best medical services.

Ibrahim said, “The House is worried that the interest of the large populace in Kastina State will be adversely affected if the sited Federal Medical Centre is left in Daura, despite the presence of the Air Force Reference Hospital and its geographical proximity to Katsina.

“The House is also worried that only Funtua Senatorial District lacks the presence of a federal medical facility despite its geographical distance from such facilities available in the state.”