The government of Jigawa State in north-western Nigeria has officially launched the construction of three state-of-the-art medical facilities in the capital, Dutse. This ambitious, multi-billion naira initiative is part of a wider plan to transform the city into a hub for health tourism across the region.
During the foundation-laying ceremony, Governor Malam Umar Namadi hailed the development as a landmark achievement in his administration’s mission to build a “Greater Jigawa.” He emphasised that the projects align with his long-term strategy to promote prosperity and uplift the socio-economic status of residents.
Governor Namadi reiterated that health and education remain at the heart of his administration’s broader human development agenda.
According to the governor, “from our investing in expanding access through Community Health Insurance, under which over 143,000 vulnerable people were effectively covered, to revitalization and expansion of access to both primary and secondary healthcare services, to the development of human resources for the health sector, we are steadily fulfilling our pledge to the people of Jigawa State.”
The governor disclosed that the facilities under construction in Fanisau, Dutse, will include a cutting-edge Diagnostic Centre, a specialised Cardiac Centre, and high-capacity Cryo-Oxygen Plants. These projects aim to revolutionise healthcare provision in the state.
“Even though all the initial investments for these three projects would be through direct treasury funding, ultimately the plan is for these to be run based on a model of public-private-partnership arrangement with certified Health Investment Firms.”
He added that adopting a public-private partnership model would guarantee the projects’ operational efficiency and long-term sustainability. Once operational, the centres are expected to eliminate the need for residents to travel to other states for advanced services such as mammography, MRI scans, and other specialised diagnostics.
Governor Namadi also expressed a broader vision of making Dutse a regional centre for medical tourism, highlighting the anticipated influx of patients from neighbouring states.
Discussing the innovative Cryo-Oxygen Plant, he explained it would not only provide 100% pure liquid medical oxygen for patient care but also generate nitrogen in commercial quantities. This, he said, would contribute significantly to Nigeria’s fertiliser production chain.
The transportation of the oxygen supply will be done using electric vehicles and digitally optimised, branded cylinders, aligning with green energy objectives and reducing overall costs.
He called on healthcare professionals across Jigawa to recommit themselves to providing high-quality care, warning that negligence and complacency in service delivery would no longer be tolerated.
Governor Namadi also acknowledged the valuable support of key development partners including UNICEF, the WHO, FCDO, USAID, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, alongside the continued advocacy efforts of traditional and religious leaders throughout the state.