A tertiary military hospital is to be sited in Sokoto State, Governor Aminu Tambuwal, has said.
The governor made this known in a statement, pointing out that the project was a result of the state government’s efforts to attract important projects to the state.
According to the statement issued by his spokesman, Malam Imam Imam, the governor said the hospital would serve as centre of excellence for military related diseases.
He said the diseases included dengue fever, Ebola, Lassa fever, anthrax.
Governor Tambuwal said although some other states applied to host the facility, Sokoto was preferred.
The facility, the governor said, would serve as a research institution with United Nations standard international public health laboratory.
He added that the government had already provided a space at the Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital for temporary use by the hospital pending when work on its permanent site would be completed.
His words: “First of all, I want to inform the people of Sokoto State that our efforts in attracting important projects from within and outside the country have continued to yield positive results.
“This hospital is of great importance not just to the military, but to our people as a whole.
“Diseases of military importance are areas of concern globally because of the large population of people that can be infected after outbreaks.
“Such diseases are subject of importance in efforts to counter bioterrorism and bio-weapons by aggressor nations.
“These infectious diseases include, among others, dengue fever, Ebola, Lassa fever, anthrax, among others.
“Having a centre in Sokoto dedicated to countering these likely outbreaks is a welcome development.
“We will support the hospital with facilities and logistics to properly take off until it is fully on its feet,” he said.
The governor also spoke on the controversy over the ownership of Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital in the state.
“We just sent a bill to the state House of Assembly to establish the Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital as property of the state government. Its position has not changed.
“The military will use the facility pending when all facilities for the newly-established Nigerian Army’s 8 Division, Sokoto, are fully ready,” he explained.
