THE Federal Government has approved a 50% electricity subsidy for public hospitals nationwide.
The announcement was made today by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Tunji Alausa, during his visit to the National Neo-Psychiatric Hospital in Barnawa, Kaduna State.
During the visit, the minister inaugurated the Electronic Health Records system and an Alternative Power Supply at the Lawal Jafaru Isah Emergency Complex.
He also commissioned a solarisation project at the dialysis unit, which includes a solar-powered borehole and a 10.2 KVA inverter at the Abdulkareem Jika Yusuf COVID-19 Intervention Centre in Kaduna.
Alausa explained that this subsidy is intended to reduce operational costs for public hospitals and ease the financial burden on patients.
Additionally, the minister announced plans to rename federal hospitals as Specialist Hospitals to enhance healthcare services and reduce stigma associated with psychiatric care.
“We will rebrand our Federal Hospitals as Specialist Hospitals to broaden the range of services offered and make them more accessible to everyone. Although psychiatric care will remain a core service, this renaming will facilitate the expansion of other services,” Alausa stated.
He also acknowledged that the ongoing strike by resident doctors is complicating efforts to secure the release of Dr Ganiyat Popoola, who was kidnapped from the hospital staff quarters.
Alausa called for calm and reassured the hospital management that the abducted doctor would be safely returned soon.
