30 November 2010 By Ahmad Musa Idris
The idea of a
world-class
medical centre that was conceptualised after
tedious negotiation process in far away United States,
the
United Kingdom and many other parts of
the world was soon developed into a model.
Now that the
journey of putting the model into pragmatic framework
has begun in Dawakin Kudu Local Government of
Kano
State, the quarantine flag – which
symbolises a disease-free environment – will soon
stand at full mast in Kano when the project is
completed.
The 200-bed
centre, which would be located on the outskirt of the
city, will replace the old Infectious Disease Hospital
(IDH), which is – against the modern practice –
located within the town. The present hospital that
treats
infectious disease cases
is located within the city and that poses danger of
disease spread.
As some people
may likely suppose, this is not a fruit of the famous
Public Private Partnership (PPP) cliché,
nor the nectar of omnipotent monthly grants each
component of the federating unit is receiving. Rather,
the N3.8 billion project came into fruition through
concerted effort of Kano
State governor Malam
Ibrahim Shekarau,
who travelled around many parts of the world in order
to negotiate the compensation.
The $75
million negotiation deal, which was brokered by no
less an individual than the first-ever Sardaunan
Kano, is perhaps the largest compensation deal
sealed since
Nigeria
's independence. I have a strong conviction that
editors of the prestigious Negotiation Journal,
which is published at the equally prestigious
Harvard
Law School,
might be delightful to publish how Shekarau negotiated
the release of $75 million.
It is
instructive to note that striking this deal aptly
describes Malam's pacifist posture as a man who is
guided by morals. His systematic knockout of legal
fireworks that tarried at local and international
courts for over a decade spoke volume of his romance
with peace.
The brightest
part of the negotiation between Kano State government
and Pfizer, the world's largest research-based
biopharmaceutical company that conducted a clinical
trial of
meningitis drug in Kano in 1996, is this
medical centre. All other things appear to be
ephemeral.
This should
give cause for celebration to every right-thinking
Kano indigene because of the purposes the centre will
serve. The health
centre is a quantum leap toward solving the
problem of perennial disease outbreak in the state. It
is also a long stride toward solving the conundrum of
diagnosis which puzzles the underdeveloped worlds.
Shekarau's
commitment to healthcare in Kano State is sincere
given the number of hospitals built and the drugs and
equipment supplied during his administration. Owing to
his commitment to healthcare in Kano State , the state
recorded a year without a single case of polio.
Before the
coming of Shekarau administration, it was on record
that a particular local government in the state,
Kumbotso Local Government Area, recorded the highest
number of polio cases in the whole WORLD! But today
such is not the case as the state government's efforts
seem to delete the horrible indices.
Not only this
project shows Malam's commitment to healthcare
development but other projects aimed at either
improving the staff strength or the existing
infrastructure of the sector. Consistent with his
government's commitment to improve human capacity and
infrastructure in its health institutions, Shekarau
recruited 525 medical personnel. In sphere of reducing
maternal morbidity and mortality, millions of women
are currently benefiting from his free maternal
healthcare program.
In a similar
vein, more than 90,000 accident and emergency victims
have also benefited from his free healthcare services.
Shekarau administration also collaborated with
development partners who assessed the state's health
facilities and commitment to healthcare delivery and
supported its Drug
Revolving Fund
Program, in which drugs and consumables worth
over N600 million were distributed in 2009. It is
gladdening to note that in this year's budget, about
N9 billion was set aside for the health sector.
As a man for
whom the contractual jargon of ‘kickback' sounds all
Greek, we have no basis to think that the governor
negotiated the
Pfizer deal for his personal benefits. At the
foundation laying ceremony of the health centre,
Shekarau said his government did not intend to put the
money into government coffers but rather build a large
health centre that would be beneficial to the people
of Kano State .
Headed by a
respected retired diplomat and erudite scholar,
Professor Shehu Galadanci, the fund intends to bring a
world-class
diagnostic centre, an effective disease
control centre, reputable
public health laboratory,
result-oriented microbiological reference laboratory
and good staff housing unit.
When the
healthcare project comes on stream, its referral
centre will not only be beneficial but reverential –
as it will be the first of its kind in Africa . Its
diagnostic centre will not only ease the diabolic
effect of
diabetes but conquer cases of cancer at
its early stage of development. The disease control
centre's periscopic power will foresee an impending
outbreak and stop it from spreading across the state.
Such is the logic of building the large hospital
outside the ancient city. The medical centre would
also have an in-patient facility for the treatment of
severe life-threatening infections.
Another area
which some cynics may raise eyebrows is the payment of
$10 million litigation fee. Justifying the logic for
negotiating out the sum of $10 million for the
lawyers, Governor Shekarau noted that the lawyers had
argued in a plausible manner for the state government.
Governor
Shekarau said the Pfizer case was left to linger in
court by successive administrations for about 10 years
before his administration negotiated for an
out-of-court settlement in order for the victims of
the clinical test and
Kano
people to benefit from it.
Shekarau said
he had travelled to the United Kingdom, the United
States and other parts of the world in order to
finalise the negotiation process, which culminated in
getting $75 million dollars as compensation.
Governor
Shekarau noted that the health centre becomes
imperative considering importance of diagnosis in
medical service. "Those who seek overseas medical
services will tell you that there is nothing
spectacular in seeking medical services abroad but the
diagnosis. When an ailment is identified, the cure
becomes very easy," explained the governor.
While
counselling the victims to have faith in the fact that
a human life could never be compensated with anything,
Governor Shekarau hoped that the Trovan clinical test
would be the last to wreak havoc on the lives of Kano
people.
Lauding the
governor for his effort, Professor Galadanci revealed
that the centre would be first of its kind in not only
Nigeria but the West African sub region. "This medical
centre will have state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment
for the diagnosis and treatment of many conditions,
including cancers and serious life-threatening
infectious diseases that are only
treated in Europe and America. We must thank Governor
Shekarau for his effort in the negotiation process,"
he said.
But beneath
the euphoria that greeted the foundation laying
ceremony, our fear for the chief negotiator is that
succeeding administration may not likely pay attention
to the maintenance and regular update of the hospital
equipment.
Ahmad Idris is with No 227 Tukumtawa, Kano City Comments 💬 التعليقات |
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