By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has dispelled rumours of shutting down Garki District Hospital.
In a press release made available to newsmen today Bello said that the Adminsatration has no plans whatsoever to shut down the Garki District Hospital.
He stated that the 15 year concession agreement signed between the FCTA and the Nisa Medical Group on the management of the hospital expires on the 31st of March, 2022 after which the hospital reverts back to the FCTA to enable the Administration provide for more public hospital bed spaces.
The Minister who gave the assurance when he received the Executive members of the FCT branch of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) led by its Chairman, Dr. Enema Job Amodu, on a courtesy visit to the FCTA, said the concession agreement had an expiration date as assented to by both parties and affirmed that there is absolutely no plans disrupt the hospital’s operations even for one day after expiration of concession agreement.
Bello said, “The FCT Administration is not terminating the Garki District Hospital Concession. Even our distinguished Chairman here said terminate, but it’ not so. The situation is that an agreement was entered 15 years ago and mutually accepted by the FCT Administration and the Nisa Medical Group. It was an agreement that has a commencement date and an expiration date.”
“So, by virtue of the agreement, it is supposed to expire on Thursday, 31st March 2022, a natural termination. So, it’s not the FCT terminating the agreement. That’s what we need to understand.”
The Minister said, “The whole idea of PPP arrangement is very good. It was the first that was done and as a matter of fact, after that, we have done a couple of PPPs in infrastructure. Even within our existing hospitals, we are now working on a model where certain specialised departments would be run on PPP arrangement. The whole idea is to expand the hospital space, to expand the specialty space. So, we are not terminating anything. It’s an agreement that is going to lapse.”
According the government has the responsibility to provide health care to residents of the FCT and shutting down the hospital will go contrary to that responsibility.
“So, how could we just shut our hospital, while we have been given a mandate to provide healthcare. So many people tell me that Garki hospital will be shut down, so many people will lose their jobs, I just find it difficult to comprehend, quite frankly. How can a government just shut a hospital, he asked
The minister assured that FCTA officials and the Nisa Group would work on modalities moving forward adding that whatever arrangement was reached thereafter will be in the best interest of residents of the Territory and other patrons of the hospital outside the FCT.
Furthermore he called on all medical professionals working or training at the hospital who wish to remain there were free to do so as the administration does not have any intention to disrupt any activity at the hospital.
Bello appreciated the NMA
constant support the FCT Administration has enjoyed overtime.
Dr. Amodu reiterated NMA’s commitment in partnering with the FCTA and identifying with its goals and aspirations.
