Borno State governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has announced a N1 billion financial intervention to support kidney transplants for underprivileged residents at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH).
The announcement was made during the 110th General Meeting of the Committee of Chief Medical Directors and Medical Directors of Federal Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria, held at UMTH, where Governor Zulum also commissioned several newly completed healthcare projects.
To kick-start the initiative, the governor approved an initial deposit of N250 million to cover transplant surgeries for 50 indigent patients. The remaining N750 million, he disclosed, would be released in three subsequent instalments.
“I am pleased to announce that the Borno State Government will deposit the sum of N250 million to support kidney transplants for 50 patients,” Zulum said. “This is part of a larger N1 billion commitment to assist the less privileged indigenes of the state. This is only the beginning I promise to do even more.”
Governor Zulum praised UMTH’s growing capacity in specialized healthcare, particularly its recent successes in kidney transplant procedures.
“I was informed that both the patients and donors are doing very well. This is a landmark achievement and a major relief for patients, especially those who cannot afford the high cost of transplant procedures,” he noted.
In a further effort to strengthen emergency medical services, Zulum announced that ten fully equipped ambulances would be distributed to health facilities across the state under the State Emergency Medical and Ambulance Services (SEMAS) scheme. He said the initiative aligns with the state’s Maternal and Newborn Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative.
“We are committed to ensuring that this initiative succeeds in providing comprehensive antenatal care, emergency obstetric services, skilled birth attendance, postnatal follow-up, and routine immunisation to protect our children from preventable diseases,” he added.
Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Mohammed Ali Pate, who attended the event, commended Governor Zulum’s commitment to healthcare development and his collaboration with federal institutions.
“Governor Zulum exemplifies effective leadership through collaboration with the federal government to improve the quality and accessibility of healthcare in Borno,” Pate stated.
UMTH Chief Medical Director, Professor Ahmed Ahidjo, also lauded the governor, recalling the earlier N500 million intervention from the state government following the 2024 floods, which facilitated the rehabilitation of key infrastructure, including the Trauma and Kidney Centres and the reactivation of the hospital’s oxygen plant.