By Israel Bulus, Kaduna
The 2027 All Progressives Congress candidate for Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Shehu Sani, has installed a solar power system at the General Hospital, Sabo-Tasha, in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, to provide more reliable electricity for critical medical services at the facility.
Sani, a former Kaduna Central Senator, inspected the solar installation at the hospital on Thursday, saying the intervention was aimed at addressing electricity challenges affecting essential healthcare services, particularly the special-needs babies unit and part of the maternity ward.
The solar system currently provides power to the special-needs babies unit and part of the maternity ward, helping to ensure continuity of essential services whenever there is no electricity supply from the national grid.
Sani said the intervention followed a courtesy visit to the hospital, where he was briefed on some of the challenges confronting the facility.
He said, “The General Hospital here in Sabo-Tasha is part of my community, and I happened to pay a courtesy call to the hospital. They told me about the challenges they were facing, and I considered the things I could do immediately.
“There are also things I believe I can do when I return to the National Assembly. Healthcare is an important area that deserves serious attention because it has been neglected for decades.
“But we are grateful that Governor Uba Sani has reformed, renovated and rehabilitated this hospital. As you can see, it has been brought back to life.”
The former senator commended Governor Uba Sani for the renovation and upgrading of the hospital, saying the improvements had created a more conducive environment for effective healthcare delivery.
He also praised the management and staff of the facility for their commitment, describing the hospital as clean and well maintained.
“You can see how clean the place is and how dedicated and committed the staff of this hospital are. The next thing I hope to achieve is to construct a dialysis centre for this hospital in Sabo-Tasha,” Sani said.
He said while the provision of healthcare remained primarily the responsibility of government, public-spirited individuals could complement government efforts through targeted interventions.
“We believe it is the responsibility of government to provide medical care to the masses, and the government has been doing that through its programmes and policies.
“You have seen how the governor has revived the public health sector and given it a new lease of life. People are trooping back to public healthcare centres and getting the needed medical attention,” he said.
Sani explained that the solar project was specifically targeted at supporting babies requiring special attention as well as services in the maternity ward.
“This solar will power babies with special needs and also part of the maternity ward. We hope they will make good use of this facility,” he said.
According to him, reliable electricity was critical to healthcare delivery, particularly in emergency, surgical and maternity units where power failure could have serious consequences.
“When there is no power supply, this provides an alternative and ensures the continuity of life. Imagine you have a baby who needs special attention and there is no power; many of them could end up dying.
“That is why this intervention at Sabo-Tasha General Hospital is something I will continue to support in the interest of the state and the people of Chikun Local Government Area,” he said.
Sani said healthcare would remain one of his priorities if he returned to the National Assembly, adding that the solar project was intended to complement government efforts rather than replace its responsibility.
He noted that inadequate electricity remained one of the major challenges confronting public medical facilities, including teaching hospitals.
“One of the challenges of public medical facilities is the issue of power. Even teaching hospitals are facing this problem. Either the power supplied to them is not enough or they have challenges subscribing to adequate power.
“This is where life and death are determined. If you don’t have power in the emergency room, surgical room or maternity ward, you have problems.
“That is the essence of this intervention, and I believe the people of Sabo-Tasha will be grateful for it,” he said.
Sani also acknowledged the improvements recorded at the hospital under the Kaduna State Government’s rehabilitation programme, including the renovation of the facility and provision of additional equipment.
He said the solar installation would help address the remaining gap in reliable electricity supply and enable healthcare workers to attend to patients with fewer interruptions.
The Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Asekune Joseph, said the intervention would further strengthen healthcare delivery at the facility.
Joseph explained that reliable electricity was particularly important for the special-needs babies unit and maternity services, where interruptions in power supply could affect the quality and continuity of care.
He expressed appreciation for the intervention, saying the additional power source would complement the hospital’s existing electricity supply and improve its capacity to provide uninterrupted services.
The Medical Director also acknowledged the renovation and upgrading of the hospital by the Kaduna State Government, saying the improvements had enhanced the working environment for medical personnel and the experience of patients.
He said the combination of improved infrastructure, additional equipment and more reliable electricity would contribute to more effective service delivery.
Joseph assured that the hospital management would ensure proper maintenance and utilisation of the solar facility for the benefit of patients and the wider community.
