WELCOME  ADDRESS BY THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR, PROFESSOR BABAGANA M. AHMAD ON THE OCCASION OF THE COMMISSIONING OF COMPLETED PROJECTS IN THE NATIONAL EAR CARE CENTRE, KADUNA ON FRIDAY, 27TH APRIL, 2012

PROTOCOL

The Hounourable Minister of State for Health,

Federal Ministry of Health

Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate.

His Excellency,

The Executive Governor of Kaduna State

Sir Ibrahim Patrick Yakowa.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Health

Senator Datong  Gyang.

The Chairman,

House Committee on Health

Hon. Ndi Olumelu.

The Permanent Secretary,

Federal Ministry of Health.

The Hon. Commissioner of Health,

Kaduna State.

His Royal Highness,

The Emir of Zazzau,

The Director of Hospital Services and Other Directors

Federal Ministry of Health

Gentlemen of the Press

Ladies and Gentlemen

INTRODUCTION/HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Today marks another very important day in the history of the Centre.  On Friday 26th June, 2009, we assembled here to formally commission the National Ear Care Centre, Kaduna.  Today, we are here again to commission some of the additional projects that have been added through the funds appropriated to the Centre for its development.  I therefore, thank Almighty Allah for making it possible to witness another commissioning ceremony.

I believe, it is not out of place to use this opportunity to acquaint you with the historical development of the Centre.

The National Ear Care Centre, Kaduna was established by the Federal Ministry of Health in 1999.  This was as a result of the recognition of hearing impairment as a major health issue in Africa by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The Centre, for logistics reasons, started at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) Lagos.  Plans for its relocation to Kaduna commenced in 2000 and progressed phases until October, 2003 and it was concluded.

The Centre’s operation in Kaduna started at a temporary office facility  provided by the Kaduna State Government at No. 20, Katuru Road.  Later, additional space was provided at the Yusuf Dantsoho Memorial Hospital and School of Health Technology Tudun Wada for both Clinical Services and the School of Post-Basic ENT Nursing, the only one in the Country.

Following the movement of the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital  from Kaduna to its permanent site Shika-Zaria, process was initiated for the allocation of some of the facilities vacated in Kaduna to serve as a permanent site for the Centre.  Your Excellencies, Sirs, this led to the allocation of this premises, previously occupied by the Psychiatric Department of Ahmadu Bello Teaching Hospital (ABUTH) to the Centre in June, 2006.

THE CENTRE’S MANDATE

The Centre’s mandate is a mono specialty hospital for the care of Ear, Nose and Throat diseases.  This is similar to other single specialty centres like that of Orthopaedic, Psychiatry and Eye.  This Centre has three mandates namely:

 

  • Diagnosis and treatment of Ear, Nose and Throat diseases.
  • Training and Manpower Development

 

To ensure fulfillment for its vision of making life better for the hearing impaired and deaf individuals in Nigeria and mission of providing services and training, research and training, the Centre  has provided services and training as follows:

 

  1. Trained 337 Post-Basic ENT Nurses from 1999 – 2011
  2. Trained 712 Primary Ear Care Providers from 2004 – date
  • Trained the Trainers (1st in Africa) – over 100 trainers were trained.
  1. Seen and Treated 61,445 patients (adult and children) from 2002-2008
  2. Major and Minor Surgeries – 11,472 (2002 – 2011)
  3. Conducted a survey on the prevalence of deafness in three State of the Federation i.e. Katsina, Benue and Akwa Ibom.

ON-GOING PROJECTS

The Honourable Minister there are three major on-going projects which are as follows:

 

  1. The completion and equipping of Accident and Emergency Block
  2. Completion of Expanded Radiology and Equiping with CT Scan, X-ray and Ultra-Sound Machines.
  • Expansion and Equipping of Theatre.

These projects are criteria for improved Patient Care in the Centre and we would be most grateful if adequately funded to ensure early completion and utilization.

APPRECIATION

Permit me, Sir, to use this medium to register my appreciation to the following:

 

  1. The Federal Ministry of Health for the support it has given to the Centre which is responsible for its level of development within these few years of acquiring the permanent site in 2006.
  2. The Kaduna State Government, who have been a wonderful host since inception. They provided a space for the initial take-off of the Centre in Kaduna at No. 20 Katuru Road, provided specie for Clinical Services at their then newly renovated Yusuf Dantsoho Memorial Hospital as well as the Class Rooms that made the relocation of the School of Post-Basic ENT Nursing from Lagos to Kaduna a smooth one.  The government also constructed a Solar – Powered Borehole for the Centre.  For these and many other logistics support and the cordial relationship we enjoy with other agencies of the State Government, we are grateful.
  • The Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Kaduna who made available for us their Theatre for Surgeries at a time the Centre did not have any, and
  1. The Christoffel Blinden Mission (CBM) who have been a worthy partner in the fight against deafness and hearing impairment since inception of the Centre.

OUR PRAYERS

Honourable Minister, Sir, the Centre has recorded modest achievement in the provision of physical infrastructures, despite the fact that it never had the advantage of take grant, not benefited from the VAMED or Specialist Hospitals Up-Grading Funds.  Based on these, I wish to solicit your kind consideration for special funding in order to address the following critical needs:

 

  1. Construction of a Lecture Auditorium, Library and 2 Storey Students for the oldest School of Post-Basic ENT in the Country. This is necessary for increased student’s in-take to meet increasing demands for training this critical support Manpower for the Specialty Construction of a Research Block to accommodate a Research Library, Temporaral Bone Laboratory, and Sleep Laboratory.
  2. As a Research and Training Centre with accreditation for Residency Training by the National Post-Graduate Medical College and the West African College of Surgeons, the availability of research block with these facilities cannot be over emphasized.

CONCLUSION

Honourable Minister of State for Health, His Excellency the Executive Governor of Kaduna State, invited dignitaries, Ladies and Gentlemen.  May I conclude by emphasizing that the Centre is blessed with a work force that is committed to contributing positively to ensure attainment of Government Health Care Goals.  It is the Centre’s goal that “all may hear”.  And, we pray that all stake holders in the health industry would contribute to assist us attain this goal.  I wish you all journey mercies back to you different destinations.