The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has made it clear that the Administration has no plans to shut down the Garki District Hospital, but will take over its management from April 1st 2022.
According to the minister, the 15 year concession agreement signed between the FCT Administration and the Nisa Medical Group on the management of the hospital expires on the 31st of March, 2022 after which the hospital reverts back to the FCTA to enable the Administration provide for more public hospital bed spaces.
Malam Musa Bello stressed that contrary to rumours making the rounds, the Administration has no plans to disrupt the operations of the hospital even for a single day following the expiration of the 15-year concession agreement.
The Minister, who spoke today, March 31, when he received the Executive members of the FCT branch of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), led by its Chairman, Dr. Enema Job Amodu, stressed that the concession agreement had an expiration date as assented to by both parties.
“The FCT Administration is not terminating the Garki District Hospital Concession. Even our distinguished Chairman here said terminate, but it’ not so. The situation is that an agreement was entered 15 years ago and mutually accepted by the FCT Administration and the Nisa Medical Group. It was an agreement that has a commencement date and an expiration date.
“So, by virtue of the agreement, it is supposed to expire on Thursday, 31st March 2022; a natural termination. So, it’s not the FCT terminating the agreement. That’s what we need to understand.
“The whole idea of PPP arrangement is very good. It was the first that was done and as a matter of fact, after that, we have done a couple of PPPs in infrastructure. Even within our existing hospitals, we are now working on a model where certain specialised departments would be run on PPP arrangement. The whole idea is to expand the hospital space, to expand the specialty space. So, we are not terminating anything. It’s an agreement that is going to lapse.”
The Minister said that the government has the responsibility to provide health care to residents of the FCT and shutting down the hospital will go contrary to that responsibility.
“So, how could we just shut our hospital, while we have been given a mandate to provide healthcare. So many people tell me that Garki hospital will be shut down, so many people will lose their jobs, I just find it difficult to comprehend, quite frankly. How can a government just shut a hospital.”
The Minister assured that FCTA officials and the Nisa Group would work on modalities moving forward, adding that whatever arrangement is reached thereafter will be in the best interest of residents of the Territory and other patrons of the hospital outside the FCT.
He also assured that all medical professionals working or training at the hospital who wish to remain there were free to do so as the administration does not have any intention to disrupt any activity at the hospital.
Malam Musa Bello commended the NMA for the support its members have been giving to his government.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Dr. Amodu had expressed concern over FCTA’s decision to terminate the concession agreement of the Garki District Hospital with NIA Medical Group.
He noted that if for other reasons, the FCTA deems it fit not to renew the concession, with NISA Medical Group, the FCTA should consider the doctors and other health workers presently working in the hospital with a view to retaining their services and to complete their programmes such as residency training, internship etc.
Dr. Amodu commended the Minister on his achievements in infrastructural development in the FCT, even as he reaffirmed NMA’s commitment to partnering with the FCTA and identifying with its goals and aspirations.
