Governor Uba Sani praised by doctors for revitalizing the state’s health sector

The Kaduna State branch of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has officially commended Governor Uba Sani for the reforms and investment in the state’s health sector. The NMA Chairman, Dr. Hassan Bala Salihu, credited the administration with implementing several “firsts” in facility development, medical training, and physician welfare.
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Healthcare provision in Nigeria, like many developing nations, faces challenges including inadequate funding, infrastructure deficits, and a severe brain drain of medical professionals seeking greener pasture abroad, commonly referred to as the “Japa Syndrome.”
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NMA lauded the Kaduna State’s recent legislative and financial actions as a model for mitigating these issues. The state’s allocation of over 15% of its budget to the health sector is an extension of the 2001 Abuja Declaration by African Union nations, which recommended that 15% of national budgets be dedicated to health.
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The Nigerian Medical Association validates the Governor’s claims, pointing to concrete achievements like new medical facilities, proactive payment of training funds, and increased budgetary allocation, which are vital for retaining doctors and improving public health services.
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Governor Sani, acknowledges that the NMA is a “partner in progress” with whom they “sometimes disagree,” pointing out that the challenges and friction in policy implementation and day-to-day operations still exist.
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The Governor has accepted the NMA’s nomination to be the branch’s patron and committed to hosting the next NMA Games. The Uba Sani administration plans to recruite 1,800 health workers annually and continuing the revitalization of 255 Primary Healthcare Centres to achieve access to standardized care across the state.