The deception and inconsistencies in Dr. Aminu
Magashi�s "Health Concerns" in Jigawa State are apparent because the leading
causes of morbidity and mortality in the state are the same every- where in
the country and they include Malaria, Diarrhoea diseases, HIV/AIDS, Acute
Respiratory Diseases, Tuberculosis, Septicaemia, Anaemia, Malnutrition,
Vaccine Preventable Diseases e.g. measles and tetanus, chronic
non-communicable diseases e.g. hypertension, diabetes, cerebro vascular
accident, renal diseases and cancer, as well as road traffic accidents and
psychiatric disorder.
I for one find the attitude of the people of
Jigawa state normal, because we all came from different and emirates i.e.
Hadejia, Gumel, Kazaure and part of old Kano emirate, now forming Dutse and
Ringim emirates. We all had different aspirations for a state of our own but
we were brought together with Dutse as the capital. If at that time Dr.
Aminu Magashi was around, and in the know of what was going on he would have
realized that Jigawa and other states created then were not meant to remain
as states, but created to cause confusion and rancour in order for the then
leadership in the country to perpetuate itself. But God in His infinite
mercy did not allow that to happen, so the evil intention was averted, but
Jigawa continued to exist as a state and progress with the people trying
very hard to put all that behind us even though agents of retrogression
still continue to remind us and try to whip up sentiments. However, what I
would want the likes of Dr. Aminu Magashi to understand is that conflict is
not always a bad thing. It is needed for progress and development in human
organizations. Conflict is considered bad when it cannot be managed and is
allowed to go out of control. However, the people of Jigawa state are in
control of the situation and God is with us.
Time and space will not permit me to treat this
issue exhaustibly, however the need exists for me to point out that the
government of Jigawa state, this year alone has spent more money on health
than all the regimes that ruled the state since its inception in 1991. Over
150 million was utilized to procure modern hospital equipment, 65 million
Naira to procure CSM vaccine for use for the next 3 years. Work for Phase II
of the Specialist hospital has started and when commissioned it is expected
to drastically reduce the transfer of cases needing specialist attention to
facilities outside the state.
The VVF centre, in Jahun has started
functioning, and the state of the art equipment ordered for use at the
centre have started arriving. In the same vein, the Government had sponsored
over 1500 for free eye treatment and about 250 children to Sokoto, Noma
hospital for the surgical repair of cleft lips. The Government has also paid
over 200,000,000 million naira, as counter part funding for the Health
System Development Project II (HSDP II), which is a collaborative venture
between the World Bank and the Jigawa State meant to build the managerial
capacity and enhance the professional skills of health care managers and
various professionals in the employment of the State Government as well as
to develop the State Health Management Information System for the provision
of adequate and reliable data for planning and research.
Ultrasound Services are now available in all
our General hospitals located at Gwaram, Birnin Kudu, Dutse, Jahun, Hadejia,
Gumel, Ringim, Babura and Kazaure. Coverage for DPT3 was 23% in 2002, but
now has risen to over 30%; compared to those of some other States in the
North West Zone, which is less than 15%. The Government releases eight
million naira monthly to the State Ministry of Health for overhead cost and
other charges including supply of free maternal drugs at all levels of care.
35 Bangladesh Doctors employed now serve in various health facilities in the
State to compliment the efforts of our indigenous Doctors. Drugs worth 46
million naira has been procured for the cost of recovery programme in the
State.
Since Dr. Aminu Magashi�s Health Interactive
Column is not restricted to health matters alone but also poverty and
because integrated development effort is the only panacea to poverty it will
not be out of place if one examines Jigawa state government�s resolve to
open up most parts of the State through road construction which includes
Dundubus � Kiyawa road, Gwaram � Basirka � Fagam road, Girinbo � Gantsa �
Sara road, Yargaba � Dutse road, Zakirai � Gujungu � Hadejia road, Gujungu �
Gumel � Babura road, Sule-Tankarkar � Dangwanki � Maigatari road, Roni �
Gwiwa road, Gidan Lage � Sankara � Ringim � Sintilmawa � Dutse road, Gidan
Lage � Kayan � Kazaure road, Kiyawa� Jahun road while township road
constructed or still under construction include Kazaure, Gwiwa, Babura,
Gumel, Malam-Madori, Hadejia, Dutse, Birnin Kudu and Gwaram. All the
information given in this write up can be subjected to verification by any
interested individual or group of people in order to confirm that it is not
the contribution of a biased person.
As for water supply 85 percent of our people
have access to potable drinking water. The way and manner Dr. Aminu Magashi
spoke of the Millennium Village describing it like the famous millennium
Dome in London, portrays his ignorance on Jigawa State. The millennium
village is a concept, an idea not a structural entity. Its main objective is
to provide training and create conducive environments for retiring Civil
Servants at the end of their formal service period where they will be
engaged in gainful self-employment.
As an indigene of Jigawa State, I am proud of
the Broad Band project which is one of its kind in the African Continent,
broader in coverage capacity than that of South Africa, the reason why many
national/international business men and women are struggling to buy it in
the name of privatization. My prayer is that the government will not succumb
to such pressures, because the project is a future one capable of generating
the necessary financial resources the state will need for its future
development efforts. The State today has wider and better internet coverage
than its peers. Another project one should be proud of is the
computerization efforts of the government, as of today the number of
computer literate people in Jigawa State cannot be marched with that of any
other state in the north. Recently 300 students who had prior training in
computer from each of the five emirates thus a total of 1500 were admitted
for a degree programme in computer science. I am sure the highest number of
students to under go such training at a time in any state of the Federation.
I can identify three problems that we the
people of Jigawa State will have to contend with:
* The Governor thinks far ahead of his
associates within the State and outside thus giving room for gross
misunderstanding. This assertion can be confirmed by his naming of a
concept/an idea �The Millennium Village� which left a person of Dr. Aminu
Magashi�s Calibre thinking that it is a structural entity of the type of the
famous Millennium Dome in London.
* The Governor feels indebted to all political
associates, and therefore the need to compensate them with positions in his
regime, this has led to the appointment of mediocre and incompetent hands to
positions of authority but incapable of depending the government.
* His quest to carry every one along has
exposed him and the state to fortune soldiers who think by attacking us
left, right and centre even when they have no reason to do so, can satisfy
the urge in them to gain from the economic legacies thought to be prevailing
in Jigawa State.
In conclusion, I would like to assure the likes
of Dr. Aminu Magashi and any doubting Thomas that we the people of Jigawa
State are capable of over coming our differences and forging ahead. We have
resolved to work tirelessly again to develop the deprived and neglected part
of the old and defunct Kano State, so help us God.
Muhammad Lawam Bala writes from Malam-Madori,
Jigawa state.
